Sanchar Saathi Boosts Telecom Fraud Prevention

Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, alongside senior telecom officials, chaired a strategic meeting under the Sanchar Saathi initiative to enhance collective efforts against telecom-related cyber frauds by integrating advanced tools, promoting awareness, and empowering citizens through multilingual digital platforms.

Highlights:

• Over 82 lakh fake mobile connections disconnected; 35 lakh lost/stolen phones blocked.
• 1.35 crore spoofed international calls prevented within 24 hours of launch.
• Sanchar Saathi App now available in Hindi and 21 regional languages; over 46 lakh downloads.
• 620+ organisations onboarded, forming a robust anti-fraud ecosystem.
• 16 crore+ portal visits; average 2 lakh daily users engaging in reporting and tracking fraud.
• Citizen-led efforts result in disconnection of 4.7 crore fraudulent connections, blacklisting of 20,000 bulk SMS senders, and blocking of 5.1 lakh mobile handsets.
• Citizens and cyber warriors share real-life success stories, showing the system’s on-ground impact.

In a strong push to safeguard citizens from the growing menace of telecom-related cyber frauds, Union Minister for Communications Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia chaired a high-level stakeholders meeting today. Joined by Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Dr. Neeraj Mittal, the session was organized under the ambit of the Sanchar Saathi initiative—a robust, citizen-focused platform that integrates technology, vigilance, and public participation to fight telecom frauds.

A Citizen-Centric Tech Initiative

Sanchar Saathi has quickly become India’s digital safety backbone. The initiative uses a suite of smart tools, including:

• CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register): To block lost/stolen phones.
• DIP (Digital Intelligence Platform): For tracking telecom-related crimes.
• ASTR (AI tool to detect fake connections): Ensures only genuine users are onboarded.
• FRI (Financial Fraud Risk Indicator): Spots and halts potential fraud in real-time.

Massive Progress in Digital Security

Since its rollout, Sanchar Saathi has achieved landmark successes:

• 82 lakh+ fake mobile connections disconnected.
• 35 lakh+ phones blocked through CEIR.
• 1.35 crore spoofed international calls neutralized within just 24 hours of implementing the fraud-detection system—bringing a 97% drop in such calls.
• Over 46 lakh downloads of the Sanchar Saathi app.
• 620 organizations onboarded, including central/state police forces, TSPs, RBI, and GSTN.

The Sanchar Saathi portal has recorded a stunning 16 crore visits, with 2 lakh daily users actively engaging in mobile connection verification, complaint registration, and fraud reporting.

Language Accessibility and Regional Reach

To enhance usability across India’s diverse linguistic demographics, the Sanchar Saathi mobile application has now been made available in Hindi and 21 regional languages, making digital safety accessible to all. The app, launched in January 2025, is available on both Android and iOS platforms, enabling users to:

• Report suspicious calls/messages.
• Trace or block stolen phones.
• Check for unauthorized SIMs linked to their IDs.

Voices from the Field

The event featured testimonials from stakeholders and citizens who have benefited from the initiative. Law enforcement officers, telecom service providers, and financial institutions shared technical insights, while citizens from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh recounted how Sanchar Saathi helped retrieve stolen phones swiftly and resolve fraud complaints effectively.

Cyber warrior Sujit Beck, known for his volunteer work in cyber safety, highlighted how he used the Sanchar Saathi platform to help disconnect thousands of fraudulent mobile connections and raise awareness, especially among senior citizens.

Looking Ahead

As India digitizes at scale, telecom frauds remain a serious threat. Sanchar Saathi is proving to be a national digital safety net, growing stronger with every citizen report, every fraudulent number blocked, and every stolen device recovered. Minister Scindia reiterated thegovernment’s commitment to “Jan-bhagidari”—people’s participation—as the driving force behind India’s cyber resilience strategy.