Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug 22: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, has launched a series of citizen-centric facilities under the Sanchar Saathi Portal, aimed at protecting telecom users from fraud, cybercrime, and the misuse of mobile connections. To highlight these initiatives, the Office of the Special Director General Telecom (WB LSA), Kolkata, organized a press meet on August 20, 2025, to spread awareness about the Sanchar Saathi Portal and other key DoT measures empowering citizens.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Pradip Gupta, Special Director General Telecom, WB LSA, underscored that “ensuring the responsible use of mobile networks and safeguarding users from fraud and misuse remains our foremost objective.” He further emphasized that the new initiatives would enable citizens to play an active role in strengthening digital security and promoting efficient use of telecom resources.
Other speakers highlighted that the Department of Telecommunications has blocked 4.5 lakh mobile handsets, disconnected 4.2 crore mobile connections, and disengaged 19 lakh WhatsApp accounts to curb telecom misuse. In addition, 74,000 SIM sellers have been blacklisted, and more than 20 lakh lost or stolen devices have been traced nationwide. Under the WB and Kolkata LSA, alone, 162741 mobile handsets were blocked, 86,397 handsets were traced and 17,274 devices were recovered and handed over to citizens.
Key Facilities under Sanchar Saathi:
Chakshu – Enables citizens to report suspicious or unsolicited communications (calls, SMS, WhatsApp) related to frauds such as impersonation, fake customer care, job or lottery offers, KYC/loan scams, and service disconnection threats.
Block Your Lost/Stolen Mobile Handset – Allows citizens to block lost or stolen mobile devices across all telecom networks in India. If a blocked phone is used, its traceability is generated, preventing misuse. Recovered devices can be unblocked for normal use.
Know Mobile Connections in Your Name – Lets subscribers check all mobile connections issued in their name and report unauthorized or unnecessary ones.
Know Genuineness of Your Mobile Handset (KYM) – Enables verification of handset authenticity using IMEI through the Sanchar Saathi portal, mobile app, or via SMS (KYM <15-digit IMEI> to 14422).
RICWIN (Report Incoming International Call with Indian Number) – Provides citizens an option to report international calls received with Indian number prefixes (+91), thereby helping detect and eliminate illegal telecom gateways that pose security risks and revenue loss.
Cybercrime – Cybercrime refers to unlawful activities carried out using digital devices, networks, or the internet. These include cyber-enabled crimes (fraud, harassment) and cyber-dependent crimes (hacking, ransomware, malware). Common examples include phishing, identity theft, UPI payment frauds, online harassment, and data breaches. Such crimes cause not only financial losses but also emotional distress, reputational damage, and risks to national security.
Through Sanchar Saathi, DoT reaffirms its commitment to empowering citizens with preventive tools, awareness, and reporting mechanisms, thereby building a safer and resilient digital ecosystem for the nation.