International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System

Source: This post on International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System has been created based on the article “Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia launches ‘International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System’” published in PIB on 23rd October 2024.

Why in news?

Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region today launched ‘International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System. It’s an efforts towards building a safe digital space and protecting citizens from cyber-crime.

About International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System

1. Launched by: Ministery of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region

2. Developed by:  Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).

3. Objective: To protect Indian citizens from cyber fraud through spoofed international calls.

4. Key Features of the System

i) This newly launched system helps block such fraudulent calls before they reach potential victims.

ii) During its first 24 hours of operation, the system identified and blocked around 13.5 million spoofed calls, which represents 90% of all incoming international calls.

iii) This development is expected to significantly reduce scam calls that spoof local Indian numbers, providing a safer digital environment for telecom subscribers.

iv) The system is part of a broader government initiative to secure the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure and curb cybercrime.

About Spoofed calls

1. About: Spoofed calls are a type of scam where the caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity.

2. Spoofing Mechanism: Cybercriminals manipulate the calling line identity (CLI) to make international calls appear as if they are from Indian numbers (+91-xxxxxxxxxx).

3. Uses of Spoofed Calls:  Financial scams, Impersonating government or telecom officials, Creating panic with threats of service disconnection or arrests and false claims regarding involvement in illegal activities such as drugs, police impersonation, or sex rackets.

UPSC Syllabus: Governance