Government alerts 11K phone numbers for disconnect

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has marked roughly 11,000 numbers for termination to telecom service providers, one month after the Chakshu site was launched.

Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea are among the telcos that will further disconnect these alleged bogus numbers. The DoT has also collaborated with telecom providers to restrict more than 700 SMS templates that are used to convey shady messages.

Through the Sanchar Saathi site, users may report suspected fraudulent communications they receive via WhatsApp, SMS, or phone calls using the Chakshu feature. Since its launch in March 2024, there have been many good reports. Its goal was to halt fraudulent calls when it was introduced in March 2024 by telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

We’ve had a tonne of responses to it. Numerous people have reported similar problems, and after verification, we have emailed the service providers almost 11,000 numbers asking them to disconnect. Following complaints, we have also disabled 700 SMS templates at the same time,” a DoT representative said. The government plans to release a mobile app for the Sanchar Saathi site shortly in order to further improve user experience. This software will act as a one-stop shop for handling bothersome calls and reporting telecom fraud.