Sanchar Saathi crosses 30 crore visits as citizens help tackle telecom fraud

NEW DELHI: The fight against telecom fraud is increasingly becoming a citizen-led effort, with the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) Sanchar Saathi portal crossing 30 crore visits since its launch in May 2023.

The portal, which offers tools to report suspicious communications, check mobile connections registered in one’s name and block lost or stolen handsets, has emerged as a key part of the government’s telecom fraud prevention framework.

DoT said information reported by citizens is converted into actionable intelligence and shared across telecom, banking and law enforcement systems. It has described users of the platform as ‘Cyber Warriors’ whose reports can help protect other potential victims.

One of the portal’s key services is Chakshu, which allows users to report suspected fraudulent calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages. These include fake KYC or bill-payment alerts, impersonation of government, police or bank officials, and fraudulent investment, loan and job offers.

So far, Chakshu has received 12.80 lakh inputs on suspected fraud communications, resulting in action in 59.82 lakh cases. This has included the disconnection of more than 50 lakh mobile connections.

The portal has also received more than 4 crore requests from citizens seeking to check and report mobile connections issued in their names. DoT said these requests have been resolved, helping users identify connections they did not take or no longer need.

The Sanchar Saathi system has also been used extensively to tackle lost and stolen handsets. More than 60.96 lakh handsets have been blocked, 37.85 lakh traced and over 14 lakh recovered so far.

When a handset reported as lost or stolen is used, its traceability information can be generated and shared with police. DoT said coordination among telecom service providers and State and Union Territory police authorities has helped improve the recovery process.

Beyond individual complaints, citizen-generated information also feeds into DoT’s wider financial fraud prevention system.

The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) uses telecom-related intelligence to identify mobile numbers potentially linked to financial fraud. This information is securely shared through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) with banks, payment service providers, telecom operators and law enforcement agencies.

The system enables financial institutions and other stakeholders to incorporate telecom risk signals into fraud detection and transaction monitoring. DoT said FRI has helped prevent suspected cyber-fraud losses of more than Rs 5,000 crore.

The Sanchar Saathi ecosystem currently feeds intelligence to more than 1,600 stakeholders connected to the Digital Intelligence Platform, supporting a coordinated approach across government agencies and private-sector entities.

The platform also allows consumers to verify the genuineness of a mobile handset through its IMEI number before purchasing a new or second-hand device. Other services include reporting international calls disguised as Indian +91 numbers and checking verified customer care details of banks and financial institutions.

Sanchar Saathi also provides awareness material on emerging fraud trends, including fake loan applications, investment scams, fraudulent job offers and fake traffic challans.

The portal is supported by a mobile app available in English, Hindi and 21 regional languages. DoT said total downloads of the app have crossed 2.8 crore.

The department has urged mobile users to check the connections issued in their name and report suspicious calls, SMS or WhatsApp messages through Sanchar Saathi.

For people who have already lost money or fallen victim to cybercrime, DoT has advised them to report the incident through the cybercrime helpline 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

With more than 30 crore visits, DoT’s message is increasingly clear: telecom fraud prevention is not only a government or industry responsibility, but also a citizen-led effort where a single report can help protect many others.