Getting spam calls, WhatsApp messages? This is how Centre plans to fight them

As part of its attempt to curb the menace of fraud over spam calls or SMS or WhatsApp, the government on Monday launched ‘Chakshu’ as part of the Sanchar Saathi portal, which was unveiled in May last year.

While launching the platform, Union Minister for Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw said, the government has been persistently making efforts to check cyber-frauds under the Secure India project. The Department of Telecommunication has taken many initiatives to spread awareness so that citizens can make use of tools like ‘Chakshu’ to address their grievances as well as protect themselves from cyber-frauds.

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‘Chakshu’ facilitates citizens to report suspected fraud communication received over call, SMS or WhatsApp with the intention of defrauding like KYC expiry or update of bank account, payment wallet, SIM, gas connection, electricity connection, sextortion, impersonation as the government official or relative for sending money, disconnection of all mobile numbers by Department of Telecommunications etc.

"Data will be shared, almost in real-time, with all stakeholders in case of suspected fraud," Vaishnaw said.

"Earlier, law enforcement, banks, and financial service providers were all asked to report fraudulent numbers, but they did so individually."

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In case, a citizen is already a victim of cyber-crime or financial fraud, it is advised to report at cyber-crime helpline number 1930 or website https://www.cybercrime.gov.in.

"But Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) is a unified platform to immediately report these frauds. This is a natural progression from the system we launched in last May and the pace at which we can detect cyber fraud will improve drastically with these two platforms," the minister added.

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The IT minister said such platforms have helped to prevent frauds worth an estimated ₹1,008 crore.

"We've also effectively controlled fraudulent international calls, which had become a menace in the recent past," Vaishnaw said.