India’s telecommunications giant Airtel has implemented a new system to display “International Call” notifications for all incoming calls originating outside the country, as part of a broader government initiative to combat telecommunications fraud. The move follows India’s extensive cybersecurity measures that have included blocking hundreds of thousands of fraudulent SIM cards and IMEI numbers.
The implementation stems from recommendations by a dedicated task force formed by India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to address the growing issue of scam calls originating from foreign countries. The DoT recently launched the ‘International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System’ to identify and block calls that appear to originate within India but are actually made by cybercriminals from abroad.
“One of the TSPs (Airtel) has implemented the technical solution and has already started displaying ‘International Call’ for all calls received from outside the country,” the DoT stated. “Other TSPs are exploring the technical feasibility of implementing the same.” The initiative extends existing efforts in regions like Kashmir, where authorities have already strengthened telecom security measures to prevent SIM-related fraud.
The system has demonstrated significant effectiveness since its launch. Within its first 24 hours of operation, approximately 13.5 million incoming international calls with manipulated Indian phone numbers were identified and blocked. The DoT reports that the number of spoofed calls has decreased from 13.5 million per day in October to about 600,000 per day in December, representing a 95.6 percent reduction.
In response to these measures, fraudsters have adapted their tactics, switching from spoofing Indian numbers to using legitimate international numbers from countries such as Singapore (+65), Hong Kong (+852), and China (+86). The calls often involve impersonation of government authorities and other deceptive practices, similar to schemes seen in other regions where SIM swap fraud has led to significant financial losses.
The DoT advises citizens to exercise caution when receiving calls from international numbers that don’t begin with the +91 country code, particularly when callers claim to represent Indian government authorities. Citizens can report suspicious communications through the Chakshu facility on Sanchar Saathi’s website, while victims of fraud can contact the cybercrime helpline at 1930 or file reports through the official cybercrime website.
Sources: Devdiscourse, Hindustan Times, PIB, The Economic Times
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