Government's Strategies Unveiled by Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in Battle Against Online Frauds in India
The Indian government, as outlined by Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, has taken multiple specific measures to combat digital fraud and scams, focusing largely on telecom-related cyber fraud and financial fraud.
In an effort to curb telecom fraud, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has disconnected around 3.57 lakh mobile numbers involved in cyber fraud based on cases reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. The highest numbers of disconnected connections are from Rajasthan, Bihar, and West Bengal.
An indigenous AI and big data analytics tool called ASTR has been developed to identify suspicious mobile connections taken under different names by the same person. Over 82 lakh such connections have been disconnected after failing reverification.
The DoT has also implemented a robust Know Your Customer (KYC) framework, including amendments to make end-user KYC mandatory before activation of new mobile connections, business connections framework, and a stringent KYC process for SIM swap or replacement to prevent misuse of telecom resources in cyber frauds.
The government collaborates with over 620 institutions, including 570 banks and police agencies across 36 states, via a Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP), which integrates efforts across stakeholders to detect and prevent fraud.
A Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) software categorizes data about individuals engaged in fraud with banks and shares these details across banks to block transactions by such individuals.
Beyond telecom fraud, agencies like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have launched campaigns such as ‘RBI Kehta Hai’ and BE(A)WARE booklet to educate consumers about safe digital practices and fraud redressal mechanisms.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) runs an ongoing “SEBI vs SCAM” campaign to raise fraud awareness among investors via TV, print, radio, and social media across the country.
To combat financial frauds, measures include the use of AI-driven tools like MuleHunter.AI by RBI, aimed at detecting and eliminating mule accounts used in fraudulent schemes, especially in the growing digital payments ecosystem.
The government is also addressing fraud risks related to online gaming through the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which bans exploitative platforms misused for fraud and money laundering, while promoting safer e-sports and educational gaming.
These initiatives collectively reflect a multi-pronged approach focused on leveraging advanced technologies (AI, big data analytics), stringent KYC norms, inter-agency collaboration, public awareness campaigns, and legislative measures to reduce cyber and financial frauds across digital platforms in India.
The government's efforts have been effective, with the number of spoofing gateways being blocked, leaving only 3.3 lakh spoof calls a day coming into India. Through the CIOR software, approximately 1.35 crore international spoof calls per day were blocked.
Through the Sanchar Saathi portal, the government has blocked close to about 1.75 crore phones that are either not a certain person's number or have exceeded the number of SIM numbers that they can have. The portal has also recovered close to five lakh stolen phones and taken them back to the original owner.
The DoT, in addition to the ASTRA app, is also using the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) to tag high-risk users. Nearly 1.5 lakh debit and credit cards have been frozen under the FRI system.
Minister Scindia concluded the conversation with a firm message that the government is on the prowl to stop every fraudulent transaction. The number of cybercrime complaints in 2024 reached over 22 lakh, up from 15.9 lakh in 2023 and approximately three times the volume recorded in 2021. However, the government's initiatives seem to be making a significant impact in the fight against digital fraud and scams in India.
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- To address financial fraud, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched AI-driven tools like MuleHunter.AI, which focuses on detecting and eliminating mule accounts used in fraudulent schemes, especially in the growing digital payments industry.
- Besides the collaboration with various stakeholders and public awareness campaigns, the government has also introduced the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, seeking to combat fraud risks related to online gaming by banning exploitative platforms and promoting safer e-sports and educational gaming, which intersects with the technology sector.
