TRAI to Airtel, Reliance Jio, BSNL and Vodafone Idea: Warn customers about such SMS messages

Trai has asked telecom operators in India to warn subscribers about fake messages being sent in its name. The messages seek a no objection certificate for tower installation or verification of existing mobile numbers. Telecom operators will share an advisory message from Trai, cautioning subscribers about fraudulent messages and calls.

The message should be considered potentially fraudulent and can be reported to the national cybercrime reporting portal. Telecom operators will send the cautionary message to every subscriber, starting from January 1, and will schedule texts in regional languages. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India ( Trai ) has reportedly asked telecom service providers Airtel , BSNL , Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea to warn subscribers against messages being sent by cybercriminals in the name of the telecom regulator.

"Nowadays, in the name of Trai, many messages are being sent and the public are being defrauded," Trai secretary V Raghunandan told Economic Times. "In order to create awareness and advise the public at large, we want to send an advisory and a cautionary message to all subscribers." What are the fake messages being sent Lately, fraudsters have been sending messages to mobile subscribers in the name of Trai, seeking a no objection certificate (NOC) for tower installation or a verification of existing mobile number to avoid disconnection.

Trai has issued a similar advisory in the past too, cautioning the public against such fake messages. What message TRAI wants telecom operators to send Telecom operators will share the SMS from BT TRAIND header, which is a terminology used by Trai all over India. The SMS reads, "Trai never sends any message or makes any call for verification/disconnecting/reporting unlawful activities of mobile numbers.

Beware of such messages/calls in the name of Trai. Any call or message claiming to be from Trai should be considered potentially fraudulent and may be reported to the national cybercrime reporting portal." India has around 1.15 billion mobile subscribers Reliance Jio (450 million), Bharti Airtel (380 million), Vodafone Idea (220 million), and state owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (95 million).

These telecom operators have been asked to share the cautionary messages to their respective subscriber bases, starting January 1. Within the next week to 10 days, all telecom service operators will send the message to every subscriber and will be asked thereafter to schedule such texts in regional languages, the official said.

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