New Delhi [India], June 6 : The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Thursday said that it has been brought to their notice that fraudulent WhatsApp messages, SMSs and voice calls are made to the citizens claiming to be from TRAI.
The telecom regulator said perpetrators are utilizing forged notices, designed to resemble official communication from senior officers of TRAI.
These notices, TRAI said, falsely allege illegal activity associated with the recipient's mobile number and pressure them into contacting law enforcement or face service termination.
Citizens are also threatened that mobile numbers will be disconnected if they don't respond.
"At times, malicious actors may further attempt to trick individuals into installing malware or clicking on phishing links," TRAI said.
The TRAI categorically said it does not initiate communication regarding mobile number disconnection through messages or official notices.
Also, it has not authorized any third-party agency to contact customers for such purposes. Therefore, any form of communication (call, message, or notice) claiming to be from TRAI and threatening mobile number disconnection should be considered a potential fraudulent attempt, it cautioned public.
To prevent the misuse of telecom resources for cybercrime and financial fraud, citizens are encouraged to report suspected fraudulent communications through the Chakshu facility on the Department of Telecommunications' Sanchar Saathi platform.
The platform can be accessed at https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/. For confirmed instances of cybercrime, victims should report the incident at the designated cybercrime helpline number '1930' or through the official website at https://cybercrime.gov.in/.
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