The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a stern warning against the misuse of telecom resources, including tampering or spoofing of mobile numbers, IP addresses, IMEI numbers and SMS headers.
The DoT emphasized that such activities violate the Telecommunications Act, 2023, which prescribes stringent penalties for offenders exploiting telecom resources for cybercrime and financial fraud. Miscreants have been found using illegally acquired Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards and SMS headers to send fraudulent messages.
“Rising cases of SIM cards obtained using fake documents, fraud, or impersonation for cyber crimes has led to DoT implementing advanced security solutions and policies for preventing telecom fraud. Points of Sale (PoS)—the entities responsible for issuing SIM cards—have been complicit in facilitating such illegal procurements, effectively abetting the offence,” informed a DoT official adding the stringent legal framework aims to deter fraudulent activities and ensure a safe and secure telecom ecosystem for all users.
The telecom department with cyber crime law enforcement agencies started a crackdown on cybercriminals modifying telecommunication identifiers, such as the Calling Line Identity (CLI)—commonly referred to as a phone number—using mobile applications and other key telecom identifiers, including IP addresses, IMEI numbers and SMS headers manipulated to send fraudulent messages and evade detection.
Last month the telecom ministry had issued an advisory ordering social media platforms and application hosting services to immediately remove content and applications that facilitate and promote Caller ID spoofing amid rising concerns about the potential for fraudulent and harmful activities stemming from the masking of phone numbers.
The advisory further warned that platforms hosting such content also violate the law. “Any application that allows to tamper telecom identifier (like CLI, IP address, IMEI etc.) is abetting users in committing an offence by contravening provisions of Telecommunication Act, 2023 and therefore Social media platforms and Application hosting platforms are required to remove such content/applications that allows or promotes tamper of telecom identifier (like CLI, IP address, IMEI etc.) in contravention to the provisions of the Telecommunication Act, 2023,” said the advisory.
The DoT with telecom service providers, has effectively blocked 1.35 crore spoofed international calls with indigenously developed International Incoming Spoofed Call Prevention System.
The telecom service providers were asked to block traffic from such international carriers repeatedly sending spoofed calls to India with major telecom operators BSNL, Reliance Jio, and Bharti Airtel blocking over 20 such carriers who were handing over spoofed international calls.
