WhatsApp ties up with Telecom Department to tackle digital fraud and scams
In the last few years, cases of online fraud and scams have increased rapidly. Instant messaging platform WhatsApp has partnered with the Department of Telecom (DoT) to curb this problem. Under this, WhatsApp and DoT’s Digital Intelligence Unit will work together.
Content will be made available to the users of this messaging app to help them identify online scams and spam. This content will be in eight regional languages. Last year, WhatsApp launched the ‘Scam Se Bachao’ campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. WhatsApp is controlled by American social media company Meta. Meta has said that it will organize workshops for DoT officials, communication friends (student volunteers), telecom service providers and field units with the aim of raising awareness about online fraud and scams.
Recently, DoT had advised to be cautious of calls coming from some foreign codes to avoid scams. These codes include +77, +84, +85, +86 and +89. Such calls are not made by DoT and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Suspicious calls can be reported on the Sanchar Saathi portal. This helps DoT to block these phone numbers. According to a report by the Ministry of Home Affairs, in the first 10 months of last year, scammers in the country had defrauded about Rs 2,140 crore.
Earlier, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Center (I4C) and DoT had blocked at least 17,000 WhatsApp accounts of foreign hackers. Its goal is to destroy foreign criminal networks and increase the digital security of the country. Last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs formed an inter-ministerial committee to deal with the rise in organized cybercrime from Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar. About 45 percent of cyber financial frauds in the country are from Southeast Asia. These crimes have become more complex and bigger. This causes huge losses to the victims. I4C’s investigation revealed that cyber criminals offer investment opportunities, dating apps, cryptocurrencies and fake trading platforms to lure people into their trap.
