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SMS
Cyber Frauds Cyber Security Cyberatttacks CyberCrime CyberThreat DoT Government Crackdown SMS

Fraudulent SMS Entities Blacklisted in Government Crackdown



An official release states that the government has blacklisted 'principal entities' behind SMS headers that have been sent over 10,000 fraudulent messages over the past three months as part of a crackdown on SMS scammers. As part of the Sanchar Saathi initiative, the Department of Telecom (DoT) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) have taken decisive steps to prevent potential SMS fraud, which was launched by the Department of Telecom (DoT). 

According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), eight SMS headers are being misused to send fraudulent messages for committing cybercrime. In the past three months, the Department of Transport has taken down more than 10,000 fraudulent messages sent using eight headers. These messages belong to eight different Principal Entities (PEs). 

There is a list of the 8 principal entities listed below, along with the 73 SMS headers they own and the 1522 SMS content templates associated with them. There is no longer any possibility of sending SMS via any telecom operator thanks to DoT's steps, which have prohibited the use of any of these Principal Entities, SMS Headers, or templates. 

According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center, which is under the Ministry of Human Resources, eight SMS headers were misused to send fraudulent communications to commit cybercrime. The term 'principal entity' is commonly used in telecom parlance to refer to business or legal entities that send out commercial messages via SMS to subscribers of mobile operators. Headers can be considered to be alphanumeric strings assigned to a 'principal entity' to send commercial communications. 

In addition, DoT has reiterated its commitment to safeguarding citizens against cybercrime by blacklisting these entities to prevent further victimization of citizens. According to the release, “Citizens can report suspected fraud communications at Chakshu facility on Sanchar Saathi to help DoT in preventing cybercrime and financial frauds from being perpetrated by telecom companies.” TRAI has mandated that only registered principal entities can send promotional and marketing messages to mobile consumers as per its mandate. 

Following the mandate, all commercial messaging (one-time passwords, promotional messages, account balance updates etc) was required to be moved onto the blockchain-based platform by telecom operators. In the country, the government does not permit telemarketing activities, so mobile numbers cannot be used. Upon the first complaint, consumers may be disqualified from their telephone connection if they use the connection to send promotional messages. 

Additionally, they may also be blacklisted for two years with their name and address being blacklisted. You can identify telemarketing calls by their prefixes: 180, 140, and 10-digit numbers cannot be used for telemarketing. You can report spam by dialing 1909, or by using the Do Not Disturb (DND) service.  

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Telecom Sector
Cyber Fraud cybercriminals DoT Fake Calls Fraud Calls Identity Fraud India Indian Government Spoofing Telecom Sector

Combatting International Spoofed Calls: India's New Measures to Protect Citizens

 

In recent times, fraudsters have increasingly used international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers to commit cybercrime and financial fraud. These calls, which appear to originate within India, are actually made by criminals abroad who manipulate the calling line identity (CLI). 

Such spoofed calls have been used in various scams, including fake digital arrests, FedEx frauds, narcotics in courier schemes, and impersonation of government and police officials. To combat this growing threat, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) in India have developed a system to identify and block incoming international spoofed calls. 

This initiative aims to prevent such calls from reaching any Indian telecom subscriber. The Ministry of Communications announced that TSPs have been directed to block these calls and are already taking steps to prevent calls with spoofed Indian landline numbers. In addition to this, the DoT has launched the Sanchar Saathi portal, a citizen-centric platform designed to enhance user safety and security amid the rising threat of fraud and international call scams. This portal includes a feature called "Chakshu," which allows individuals to report suspicious calls and messages. 

Chakshu simplifies the process of flagging fraudulent communications, providing an extra layer of protection against cybercriminals. Chakshu serves as a backend repository for citizen-initiated requests on the Sanchar Saathi platform, facilitating real-time intelligence sharing among various stakeholders. The platform also provides information on cases where telecom resources have been misused, helping to coordinate actions among stakeholders. 

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has highlighted additional measures, including creating a grievance redressal platform for reporting unintended disconnections and a mechanism for returning money frozen due to fraud. These efforts aim to address the concerns of citizens who may have been inadvertently affected by the anti-fraud measures. Since its launch in May last year, the Sanchar Saathi portal has been instrumental in enhancing the security of telecom users. It has helped track or block over 700,000 lost mobile phones and detect more than 6.7 million suspicious communication attempts. 

These efforts underscore the government's commitment to safeguarding citizens from cyber threats and ensuring the integrity of telecom services. The DoT and TSPs' proactive measures, along with the Sanchar Saathi portal, represent significant steps towards protecting Indian citizens from international spoofed calls and other forms of cybercrime. By leveraging advanced technology and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, these initiatives aim to create a safer digital environment for all.
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Telecom Firm
Cyber Crime DoT Indian Government Mobile Connection Telecom Firm

Indian Govt Targets Cyber Criminals: DoT To Deactivate 1.8 Million SIMs

 

According to a recent media report citing 'officials' as sources, telecom operators are planning to disconnect approximately 1.8 million mobile connections at once as part of the government's first all-India operation to combat cybercrime and online fraud. 

This development comes after a thorough investigation conducted by multiple law enforcement authorities to trace the usage of mobile networks for cybercrime and financial theft.

"During investigations, it was detected that in many instances, a single handset was used with thousands of mobile connections," an official privy to the details told the local media outlet. 

On May 9, the Department of Transportation directed telcos to deactivate 28,220 mobile devices and re-verify nearly two million mobile connections that had been misused with these handsets. 

Officials stated that in such cases, just 10% of the connections are verified, with the remainder being disconnected and failing re-verification. They also stated that the disconnection will take place once the telecoms completed the re-verification in 15 days. The action comes amid a consistent increase in the number of mobile phone-related cybercrimes in the country. 

The National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) said that digital financial theft victims lost Rs 10,319 crore in 2023. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance said that over 694,000 complaints were received in 2023. 

Officials stated that fraudsters generally employ SIM cards from other telecom circles and frequently change the combination of SIM and handset to avoid detection by law enforcement and carriers.

"For instance, an Odisha or Assam circle SIM could be used in Delhi NCR," a second official noted. "To avoid the radar, fraudsters make only a few outgoing calls and then change the SIM as too many out. going calls from the same number would get detected by telco systems.”

According to an earlier investigation, telcos disconnected almost two lakh SIM cards last year for alleged involvement in cybercrimes. In another case, the authorities investigated places such as Mewat in Haryana, and more than 37,000 SIM cards were disconnected. 

Coordinated Action: To combat cybercrime, the government believes that telecoms should improve their detection of SIM usage patterns, particularly those purchased outside of home circles."As part of their roaming detection system, telcos can instantly capture when a person moves out to a different circle," added the second official.
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Technology
Airola DoT eSIM Google Holafly International SIMs Playstore SIMs India Technology

Google Removes Foreign eSIM Apps Airola and Holafly from PlayStore


Google has removed Airola and Holafly from its PlayStore for Indian users due to their sale of international SIM cards without the necessary authorizations.

The decision came from the department of telecommunications (DoT), which also contacted internet service providers to block access to both the apps’ websites.

Singapore-based Airalo and Spain-based Holafly are providers of eSIMs for a number of countries and regions. eSIMs are digital SIMs that enable users to activate a mobile plan with one’s network provider without using a physical SIM card. 

In India, a company require no objection certificate (NoC) from DoT to sell foreign SIM cards.

Apparently, DoT instructed Apple and Google to remove Holafly and Airalo from their apps because they lacked the necessary authorization or NoC.

The apps are now unavailable in Google PlayStore, however were found on Apple’s AppStore as of January 5.

According to a government source, Apple was in talks to remove the apps.

The apps are still accessible for users in other regions but have been blocked for Google and Apple users in India.

Rules for Selling International SIMs

Organizations that plan on selling SIM cards from other countries must obtain a NOC from the DoT. According to DoT's 2022 policy, these SIM cards provided to Indian customers are solely meant to be used abroad.

The authorized dealers will need to authenticate clients with copies of their passports, visas, and other supporting documentation before they sell or rent these SIMs.

Also, the SIM providers need to provide details of global SIMs to security agencies every month. 

Rules for Selling International SIMs in India/ Users can activate mobile plans using an eSIM in place of a physical SIM card. eSIMs are offered by Holafly and Airalo in a number of nations. Companies who intend to sell international SIM cards in India are required by DoT policy 2022 to obtain a NOC and to sell SIM cards only for use outside of the nation. Authorized merchants are required to use their passport, visa, and other necessary documents to confirm the identity of their consumers. These sellers also have to give security agencies regular updates on foreign SIMs.  

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