New Delhi, India – In a major victory for digital security, the Indian government’s comprehensive anti-fraud initiatives have resulted in a staggering 97% reduction in spoofed calls, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia announced on Tuesday. The Sanchar Saathi portal, a key citizen-centric tool, has been instrumental in this success, with over 15.5 crore citizens using the platform to secure their digital identities.
Speaking to the media, Minister Scindia detailed the dramatic decline in fraudulent call volumes. “Earlier, we were receiving 1.35 crore spoofed calls per day. Now these calls have been reduced to just 3 lakh daily,” he stated, highlighting the effectiveness of a multi-pronged strategy combining artificial intelligence, citizen empowerment, and strict enforcement.
A Coordinated Digital Assault on Fraud
The government’s crackdown has dismantled fraudulent networks on multiple fronts. An AI-powered system, ASTR (Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition for Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification), has been a game-changer. By analyzing 134 crore mobile connections, ASTR identified and led to the disconnection of over 82 lakh fraudulent connections obtained using fake or forged documents.
The sweeping enforcement actions include:
- 1.75 crore mobile numbers cancelled for exceeding individual ownership limits.
- 5.1 lakh mobile handsets blocked for involvement in cybercrime.
- 24.46 lakh fraudulent WhatsApp accounts disengaged.
- 20,000 bulk SMS senders blacklisted to halt mass scam campaigns.
- 71,000 Points of Sale (PoS) blacklisted and 780 FIRs filed against offenders.
Empowering Citizens to Fight Back
The Sanchar Saathi portal has emerged as the primary weapon for citizens. With nearly 2 lakh daily users, the portal allows individuals to check mobile connections registered in their name and report fraudulent or unrequired numbers.
Its integrated CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) facility has been crucial for tackling mobile phone theft.
- Over 35 lakh lost or stolen mobile devices have been blocked on the portal.
- 21.35 lakh of these devices have been successfully traced.
- 5.07 lakh phones have been recovered and returned to their rightful owners.
Highlighting the on-ground success, DGP Cyber Crime Telangana, Sikha Goyal, noted her state’s exemplary performance. “Telangana presently ranks first in recovery of mobile phones in the country. As of date, we have recovered and handed over to victims about 88,301 mobile phones,” she said, crediting a systematic training program for their achievement.
Curbing the International Threat
To combat scams originating from abroad, the government launched the CIOR (International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System) in October 2024. The system had an immediate impact, blocking 1.35 crore spoofed calls within its first 24 hours.
Furthermore, telecom operators are now mandated to display an “International Call” prefix for all incoming calls from foreign numbers. This simple alert has significantly reduced fraud, with complaints about international number scams dropping from 2,776 in January 2025 to single-digit figures by June 2025. The government has also blocked 308 international carriers who were repeatedly facilitating spoofed calls.
This comprehensive effort is coordinated through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP), a secure network connecting 620 organizations, including central agencies, 35 state police forces, and telecom providers, creating a formidable national watchdog against telecom fraud.
