What Led to the Disconnection of Over 13.6 Million Mobile Numbers for Fraud Prevention?

New Delhi, July 30 (NationPress) The Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, revealed in Parliament on Wednesday that more than 13.6 million mobile numbers have been disconnected following input from citizens to combat telecom fraud.

The minister explained that as part of a comprehensive national initiative to mitigate cyber fraud and safeguard citizens from digital threats, the Government of India has implemented a series of robust, technology-driven strategies through the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in close collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

A pivotal feature launched is the ‘Know Your Mobile Connections' service, which enables users to review all numbers registered under their name and report any unauthorized connections. This initiative has led to the disconnection of 13.6 million such numbers, he stated.

The minister highlighted that the DoT has also blocked 550,000 handsets and deactivated 20,000 bulk SMS senders. Additionally, nearly 2.4 million WhatsApp accounts linked to suspicious activities have been suspended.

He pointed out that a Digital Intelligence Platform has been established, uniting 620 institutions, including 570 banks, 36 state police forces, investigative bodies, and telecom service providers, to collaboratively address fraud in real-time. This platform facilitates coordinated action against scammers and cybercriminals who exploit telecom systems to deceive the public.

To further engage the public in this effort, the Government introduced the Sanchar Saathi portal on May 16, 2023, which has already registered over 1.55 billion hits, reflecting significant public awareness and involvement. Building on this success, the Sanchar Saathi mobile app was launched on January 17, 2025, available for both Android and iOS, and has garnered over 4.4 million downloads.

The Government has also employed artificial intelligence tools, particularly the ASTR system, to automatically identify and remove fake mobile numbers, resulting in the disconnection of an additional 8.2 million such connections.

In addressing the critical issue of international spoof calls—where foreign numbers are displayed as Indian calls—the DoT implemented a centralized software solution under the International Incoming Spoof Calls Prevention. On the very first day alone, 13.5 million spoof calls were blocked, and ongoing measures have reduced these incidents by 97%. Currently, only about 300,000 spoof calls are detected daily, a significant reduction from previous levels. Telecom operators are now required to show ‘International Call’ alerts for all such calls to enhance user transparency, according to the minister.

He also mentioned that a significant technological advancement, the Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) system, has been introduced to evaluate user risk levels—ranging from Very High to Medium—based on banking and transaction behaviors. This risk data is shared with banks in real-time, aiding in the prevention of suspicious transactions. Over 370,000 individuals have been flagged under these categories, resulting in the prevention of more than 304,000 debit/credit transactions and the freezing of 155,000 bank accounts. Acknowledging the system's effectiveness, the Reserve Bank of India has directed all banks to incorporate the FRI into their internal frameworks.

Furthermore, the DoT has taken decisive actions against the misuse of Indian SIMs operating from Southeast Asian nations. Over 2.6 million such roaming mobile connections have been disconnected, and approximately 130,000 devices utilized in these scams have been blocked.

These ongoing initiatives demonstrate the Government’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding citizens, securing telecom networks, and fostering a digitally secure India. Citizens are encouraged to stay alert and utilize tools such as the Sanchar Saathi portal and app to report suspicious activities, verify their mobile connections, and contribute to establishing a fraud-free digital ecosystem, the minister concluded.