Lok Sabha Question No. 4685 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-29
Subject: Financial Frauds using Telecom Services
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre, Rajendra Agrawal, Shivkumar Chanabasappa Udasi, Sunil Kumar Soni, Vijay Baghel, Arun Sao, Mohan Mandavi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4685 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH  MARCH, 2023

## FINANCIAL FRAUDS USING TELECOM SERVICES

## 4685.   SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE:

SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL:

SHRI SHIVAKUMAR C. UDASI:

SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SONI:

SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:

SHRI ARUN SAO:

SHRI MOHAN MANDAVI:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any initiative to frame a new action plan to curb financial frauds using telecom services;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of the fresh steps taken by the Government to curb the large number of incidence of financial frauds through telecom resources?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

(a) to (c) 'Police'  and  'Public  order'  are  state  subject  as  per  the  seventh  schedule  of  the constitution of India. States/UTs are primarily responsible for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crime including cyber-crime/fraud. To strengthen the mechanism to deal with cyber crimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner, Central Government has taken various initiatives to frame a new action plan to curb financial frauds using telecom services:

- i. The  Indian  Cyber  Crime  Coordination  Center  (I4C)  has  been  established  to  provide  a framework  and  eco-system  for  LEAs  (Law  Enforcement  Agencies)  to  deal  with  cyber crimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.
- ii. The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in) has been launched to enable the public to report all types of cyber-crimes, with special focus on cyber crimes against women  and  children.  The  'Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System' has been launched for immediate reporting of financial frauds and to stop siphoning off fund by the fraudsters.
- iii. A toll-free Helpline number '1930' has been operationalized to get assistance in lodging online cyber complaints.

- iv. Issuance of alerts/advisories; capacity building/training of law enforcement personnel/prosecutors/judicial  officers;  improving  cyber  forensic  facilities  etc  have  been undertaken.
- v. To  spread  awareness  on  cyber-crime,  several  steps  have  been  taken  that include dissemination  of  messages  through  SMS,  I4C  social  media  account  ie  Twitter  handle (@Cyber dost), Facebook (CyberDostI4C), Instagram (cyberdosti4c), Telegram (cybserdoti4c),  Radio  campaign,  engaged  MyGov  for  publicity  in  multiple  media, publishing of handbook for Adolescents/Students, organizing of Cyber Safety and Security Awareness week, in association with police department in different States/UTs etc.
- vi. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has issued directions to TSPs (Telecom Service Providers) on 16-02-2023 to prevent the misuse of headers & message templates for cybercrime/fraud.
- vii. More than 15 Lakh mobile numbers detected to have been issued on fraudulent credentials, have been disconnected by Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

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