TRAI warns public against impersonation scams threatening mobile disconnection
Nov 15, 2023
New Delhi [India], November 15 : The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued an alert warning the public about fraudulent activities where individuals are impersonating TRAI officials to threaten the disconnection of mobile numbers.
"These individuals, claiming to be from TRAI, are contacting unsuspecting citizens and falsely informing them that their mobile numbers are being used for sending unsolicited messages and other illegal activities. They then demand the Aadhaar numbers of these individuals, claiming that they are required to verify their identity and prevent the disconnection of their mobile numbers," the TRAI said in a release on Wednesday.
TRAI has clarified that it does not block or disconnect any mobile numbers of individual telecom customers. The authority also never sends any messages or makes any calls for the disconnection of mobile numbers.
"The public at large is hereby informed that TRAI does not block or disconnect any mobile number of any individual telecom customer. TRAI never sends any message or makes any call for the disconnection of mobile numbers. TRAI has not authorised any agency to contact customers for such activities, and all such calls are illegal and are to be dealt with as per law. Therefore, any call or message claiming to be from TRAI should be considered potentially fraudulent," the TRAI said.
Additionally, TRAI has not authorised any agency to contact customers for such activities. Any call or message claiming to be from TRAI should be considered potentially fraudulent.
The public is advised to be cautious of such fraudulent activities and to avoid sharing any personal information, including Aadhaar numbers, with unauthorised individuals or agencies.
In the event of any suspicious calls or messages, TRAI urges the public to immediately report the matter to the concerned service providers or to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. The public can also call the Cyber Crime Helpline Number 1930 for assistance, the release added.
