DoT issues directions to TSPs for blocking of incoming international spoofed calls

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and telecom service providers (TSPs) are working together to block scam calls originating from outside India. This is the latest initiative by the government to address and deal with the growing menace of scam calls nationwide.

Fraudsters are making international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers to Indian citizens and committing cyber-crime and financial frauds, it has been reported. These calls appear to be originating within India but being made by the cyber-criminals from abroad by manipulating the calling line identity (CLI). Such international spoofed calls have been misused in recent cases of fake digital arrests, FedEx scams, drugs/narcotics in courier, impersonation as Govt and police officials, disconnections of mobile numbers by DoT/TRAI officials, etc.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have devised a system to identify and block such incoming international spoofed calls from reaching any Indian telecom subscriber. Now directions have been issued to the TSPs for blocking of such incoming international spoofed calls.

The incoming international spoofed calls with Indian landline numbers are being already blocked by the TSPs as per the directions issued by DoT.

As safety and security of the users is an integral part of vision of Digital India, DoT has already taken many initiatives including citizen centric Sanchar Saathi portal to protect telecom users.