NEW DELHI: As the number of fraudulent calls in grows, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Friday issued an advisory warning people not to answer WhatsApp calls or share any personal details from foreign numbers with initials +92-xxxxxxxxxx.
They clarified that DoT does not authorise anyone to make calls on its behalf and advised people to remain vigilant. There has been a recent surge in calls from fraudsters posing as DoT officials. These imposters threaten people with the disconnection of their mobile numbers, claiming they are being misused in illegal activities. “Calls are being received by the citizens wherein callers, in the name of DoT, are threatening that all of their mobile numbers would be disconnected or their mobile numbers are being misused in some illegal activities,” said DoT.
The government has been proactive to stop the menace of fraud calls in the country, and recently launched a portal called Chakshu. People can report about fraudulent calls, SMS messages, and WhatsApp messages received within the last 30 days on this platform. The DoT also launched a Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) that will provide a single platform to share data about suspected fraudulent connections. While launching the platforms, telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the portal (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in) prevented frauds worth an estimated `1,008 crore.
The DoT warned about WhatsApp calls from foreign origin mobile numbers (like +92-xxxxxxxxxx) where impersonators attempt to deceive people. It added that cybercriminals use these calls to threaten and steal personal information for cybercrime and financial fraud. They advise people not to share any information when receiving such calls and to report them through the portal.