The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has ramped up its efforts to combat cybercrimes and threats by blocking more than 1,500 callers, both domestic and international, in less than a week. Officials reveal that these calls were associated with fraud and anti-national elements, leading to the swift action to safeguard telecom resources and curb misuse.
Government authorities, in collaboration with telecom operators, have been verifying the legitimacy of calls that prompt complaints, resulting in the blocking of identified numbers. Despite the crackdown, officials assure that criminal investigations by security agencies will continue unabated.
One of the prominent names on the list of blocked callers is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a designated terrorist who had issued threats against Air India, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), and the National Stock Exchange (NSE). The government, upon verifying information from international gateways and telecom operators, promptly blocked the numbers associated with Pannun’s threats.
To gather information about these callers, the DoT is actively monitoring foreign gateways, employing a comprehensive approach to address the evolving challenges of cyber threats. Telecom operators have also received instructions to report any suspicious calls received by their customer care centers to the relevant department, ensuring a collaborative effort to combat telecom-related crimes.
The recent increase in financial fraud perpetrated by callers using international numbers highlights the urgency of addressing such threats. These fraudulent actors exploit various applications providing eSIM-enabled international numbers, making it crucial for regulatory bodies to stay vigilant and adapt to emerging technologies.
