Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a warning notice to mobile users. The scam starts with the promise of free recharge offers. Fraudulent SMS messages are being sent to customers impersonating TRAI. No such offer has been issued by TRAI, the telecom regulator said. Users are advised to beware of these messages.
Any offer or discount related to mobile recharge is provided by the telecom operator. That too following certain procedures and through legitimate channels. These offers can be found on the company's official website or app. But, lately it has been duplicated, being sent in the name of telecom companies Jio, Airtel, VI and BSNL customers.
The message has also spread on WhatsApp. These messages are being forwarded to different groups. Fraudulent messages are being sent to gain control of users' devices, the telecom regulator has warned. The goal is to steal sensitive personal information, including banking details.
How do you stay alert?
TRAI advised users to be vigilant and report any suspicious messages or calls they receive. One can visit the cybercrime website and Sanchar Sathi portal to report. TRAI has already blocked more than 100,000 fake message templates to protect users.
TRAI also stated that it has not made or endorsed any such offer. Users should seek information on this from their telecom providers only. Be careful before clicking on any links included in unsolicited messages. Because clicking may infect your phone with malware virus.
