In recent months, a troubling phone scam has been targeting mobile users across India. Fraudsters posing as police officers deceive unsuspecting victims into believing they are involved in criminal activities. These calls often originate with the ISD code for Pakistan (+92), adding an international layer to the scam. With the rise in complaints, it is essential to understand how these scammers operate and learn how to protect ourselves.
The Scam’s Modus Operandi
The scam begins with a call displaying the +92 prefix, which corresponds to Pakistan. The caller, posing as a police officer, provides a fabricated badge number and claims the recipient is implicated in serious crimes such as money laundering, drug trafficking, or involvement in terrorist activities. The scammer’s tone is authoritative, and they threaten the victim with immediate arrest unless they comply with their demands.
Victims are then instructed to transfer money to a specific account or share sensitive personal information. Some have even been coerced into revealing their bank details, resulting in financial losses.
DoT’s Advisory
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has warned mobile users to be cautious of calls from foreign numbers, particularly those starting with +92, on WhatsApp. The Ministry of Communications’ advisory urges users not to disclose any information to callers claiming to be government officials threatening to disconnect their mobile numbers due to alleged illegal activities.
“Cyber criminals through such calls try to threaten or steal personal information to carry out cybercrime or financial frauds. The DoT does not authorize anyone to make such calls on its behalf,” the advisory states. It advises the public to stay vigilant and refrain from sharing any information when receiving such calls.
Reporting Fraudulent Calls
The DoT has encouraged the public to report these fraudulent calls using the ‘Chakshu-Report Suspected Fraud Communications’ facility on the Sanchar Saathi portal (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in).
For those who have fallen victim to cybercrimes or financial frauds, the advisory directs them to report the incidents to the cyber-crime helpline number 1930 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in.