DoT warns citizens of 'call forwarding fraud'

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In a proactive move to combat cybercrimes and fraud, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a cautionary advisory urging citizens to avoid dialling *401# followed by an unknown mobile number.

This action could activate unconditional call forwarding, allowing fraudsters to reroute incoming calls to the specified unknown number.

The modus operandi of the scam involves fraudsters posing as customer service representatives or technical support staff from telecom service providers.

They contact telecom subscribers, prompting them to dial *401# followed by an unfamiliar mobile number.

Once activated, this call-forwarding scam provides cybercriminals with an opportunity to exploit incoming calls for fraudule.

The advisory, which specifically targets users of major telecom operators, including Airtel, Jio, Vodafone-Idea, and BSNL, follows the resurgence of the ‘*401#’ call forwarding scam in October.

In this scam, criminals, impersonating delivery agents, bank representatives, or service providers, deceive users into dialling the specified number, enabling call redirection to unknown numbers selected by cyber criminals.

Highlighting the severity of the scam, the DoT warned mobile users about potential threats to cybersecurity, emphasizing the importance of ignoring calls and instructing users to dial ‘*401#.’

Cybercriminals frequently adopt tactics like impersonating bank agents or telecom support representatives, claiming network issues, and instructing users to resolve the problem by dialling ‘*401#.’

In case users unknowingly activate call forwarding through such scams, prompt action is recommended.