Telecom department blocks mobile handsets, disconnects numbers involved in frauds

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) Tightening the noose around fraudsters engaged in defrauding mobile users through text messages, the Department of Telecom (DoT) has started blocking handsets used in such activities besides disconnecting mobile numbers.

The DoT has launched Chakshu portal two months ago to handle telecom fraud related grievances.

Since the launch of the portal, the department has blacklisted 52 entities involved in sending malicious and phishing SMSes, blocked 348 mobile handsets on pan-India basis and flagged 10,834 suspected mobile numbers for re-verification, according to official sources.

In response to a post on social media platform X by a technology professional on an SMS related fraud, the DoT said that it has blocked the mobile number mentioned in the post as well as blocked handsets linked to it.

“Mobile number is disconnected, and 20 associated mobile handsets have been blocked for misuse in cybercrime/financial fraud. If you observe any such incidents, please immediately report suspected fraud to Chakshu,” DoT said in its reply.

According to official sources, the DoT has deactivated 700 SMS content templates.

The source said: “10,834 suspected mobile numbers flagged for re-verification to the telecom operators, 8,272 mobile connections disconnected failing re-verification till April 30, 2024.”

Besides, DoT has blocked 1.58 lakh unique mobile device identification number IMEI due to involvement in cyber crimes and financial frauds or mobile connections taken on fake or forged documents.

Till April 30 this year, DoT has disconnected a total of 1.66 crore mobile connections, out of which 30.14 lakh were disconnected based on users’ feedback and 53.78 lakh for exceeding individual limit to buy new SIM cards, as per official data.