The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued an advisory about a rise in fraudulent calls from scammers impersonating the telecom regulator.

These calls, often featuring pre-recorded messages, falsely claim that the recipient’s mobile number will soon be blocked and attempt to extract personal information under this guise.

TRAI clarified that it does not engage in direct communication with customers regarding mobile number disconnections, whether through messages, calls, or any other means. The regulator also emphasized that no third-party agency has been authorized to contact customers for such matters.

“It has come to the attention of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that numerous pre-recorded calls are being made to citizens, falsely claiming to be from TRAI. These calls threaten that their numbers will be blocked and solicit personal information,” the advisory said.

TRAI reiterated that it does not initiate any communication about mobile number disconnections. Any such communication claiming to be from TRAI should be treated as a potential fraudulent attempt and ignored.

The responsibility for mobile number disconnection due to billing issues, KYC compliance, or misuse lies solely with the respective Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), TRAI cautioned.

TRAI urged citizens to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to these scams. It advised people to verify suspicious calls by contacting the authorized customer service centers of their telecom operators.

To report suspected fraudulent communications, citizens can use the Chakshu facility on the Department of Telecommunications’ Sanchar Saathi platform, available at https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/.

For confirmed instances of cybercrime, victims should report the incident via the cybercrime helpline number ‘1930’ or through the official website https://cybercrime.gov.in/.

(Inputs from ANI)