New Delhi

On Tuesday, the government introduced a new spam-tracking system aimed at detecting and blocking incoming international calls that masquerade as Indian phone numbers. This system, known as the International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System, became operational and swiftly identified approximately 1.35 crore (or 90%) of all incoming international calls with Indian numbers as spoofed, preventing them from reaching Indian telecom subscribers within just 24 hours.

Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia, emphasized that this initiative is part of the government’s commitment to creating a safer digital environment and protecting citizens from cybercrime. With this new system in place, Indian telecom users can expect a notable decrease in such fraudulent calls that use the country code +91.

Cybercriminals have previously exploited this loophole, making international calls appear as if they are from within India by manipulating the calling line identity (CLI). These spoofed calls have been associated with various scams, impersonations of government officials, and even threats related to disconnection from services.

To combat this issue, the Department of Communications (DoT) has teamed up with telecom service providers to implement this effective system. However, the government urges citizens to remain vigilant, as some fraudsters may still find ways to bypass these measures. They encourage reporting any suspicious calls through the Chakshu facility on Sanchar Saathi.