Government Battling Online Fraudulence in India - Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Discusses Strategies
The Indian government's strategies to combat digital fraud have shown significant success, particularly in reducing telecom and spoofing-related crimes. Key initiatives include the Digital Intelligence Platform, Sanchar Saathi portal and app, ASTRA app, CIOR system, and the Financial Risk Indicator.
These tools have led to a 97% reduction in spoofed international calls, the blocking of over 3 crore suspicious SIMs, and the disconnection of millions of fraudulent connections. The Sanchar Saathi portal, for instance, has recorded over 15.5 crore users, reflecting strong public engagement.
The AI-driven ASTRA app and CIOR system have been particularly effective in combating sophisticated scams by identifying fake connections and blocking fraudulent calls. The number of international spoofed calls has dropped from 1.35 crore calls daily to just 3 lakh calls, according to official data.
The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) is mandated for adoption by financial institutions to detect and manage fraud risks more effectively, enhancing financial security. However, despite these successes, overall digital fraud losses remain high. In 2024, Indians lost approximately Rs 22,842 crore to cybercriminals—nearly triple the losses in 2023—and cybercrime complaints have surged to over 22 lakh cases.
Minister Scindia emphasized that the government is on the lookout for every fraudulent transaction and is committed to stopping them. The government has introduced the CIOR (Calling Identification Out-Roaming Registry) system to block international spoof calls. The unified Intelligence Platform ensures complete transparency and seamless coordination, with any fraudulent activity immediately registered across the entire system and triggering a comprehensive, nationwide block on the individual's access.
The government is using AI in the form of ASTRA to disconnect fraudulent numbers. Through the Sanchar Saathi portal, close to about 1.36 crore phones that have exceeded the number of SIM numbers that they can have have been blocked. The portal has also recovered close to five lakh stolen phones and returned them to their original owners.
The DoT is working on tagging individuals as high, very high, or medium risk based on their likelihood to commit financial fraud. The Sanchar Saathi portal, which enables individuals to report misuse of SIM cards and recover stolen devices, has become a citizen-led initiative.
The government's efforts have been effective in curbing telecom and SIM-related frauds through enhanced detection, public participation, and AI tools. However, the overall landscape of digital fraud in India remains challenging and requires continued innovation and enforcement.
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