Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: With over a billion subscribers, India has emerged as the world’s second-largest telecom ecosystem. Mobile phones now serve as critical gateways to banking, entertainment, e-learning, healthcare, and Government services, making mobile security more important than ever.
Rising cyber threats have made safeguarding mobile users a pressing national concern. According to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), cybercrime incidents surged from 15,92,917 in 2023 to 20,41,360 in 2024. Digital arrest scams and related cybercrimes reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal alone totalled 1,23,672 in 2024.
In response to these escalating threats, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) introduced the Sanchar Saathi mobile app – a citizen-centric tool that brings robust security features and fraud-reporting capabilities directly to users’ smartphones. The app complements the existing Sanchar Saathi portal by providing convenient, on-the-go protection against identity theft, forged KYC, device theft, banking fraud, and other cyber risks.
Citizen-first platform
Sanchar Saathi app puts citizens first and protects their privacy at every step. It works only with user’s consent and gives full control over its activation and use.
The app activates only after user chooses to register. The user has the option to activate, deactivate, or delete it any time. Sanchar Saathi has shown clear and consistent impact since its launch. The platform has strengthened user safety and reduced digital fraud across the country.
The DoT has developed the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI), a risk-based metric that classifies mobile numbers as Medium, High, or Very High risk of financial fraud. The FRI helps banks, NBFCs, and UPI service providers prioritise enforcement and take extra customer protection measures for high-risk numbers.
Building on these achievements, the initiative has further curtailed telecom fraud through targeted actions, delivering tangible results across multiple platforms. More than three crore fraudulent mobile connections have been terminated, 3.19 lakh devices blocked, 16.97 lakh WhatsApp accounts disabled, and over 20,000 bulk SMS senders were blacklisted, significantly curbing telecom-related fraud and enhancing user security across the country.
Timely and effective
By empowering citizens with easy-to-use tools and real-time access to vital security features, the Sanchar Saathi mobile app represents a timely and effective response to India’s growing cybercrime challenges.
The application is available in Hindi and 21 other regional languages, making it inclusive and accessible across the country. Available on both Android and iOS platforms, the app has already crossed 1.4 crore downloads since its launch.
The app brings all citizen-centric services of the portal directly to users’ smartphones, including security, verification, and fraud-reporting features.
The following are the key features of the Sanchar Saathi app:has the following features:
Chakshu: Enables users to report suspected fraud communications via calls, SMS, or WhatsApp – especially KYC-updating scams. This proactive reporting tool helps the DoT monitor and act swiftly on forged KYC and identity-theft cases.
IMEI tracking: Allows tracking and blocking of lost or stolen phones anywhere in India. It assists police authorities in tracing stolen or lost devices.
Number verification: If any suspicious connections – potentially created using forged KYC details – are found, users can report and block them immediately.
Knowing and reporting
Handset genuineness: the app offers an easy way to verify whether a purchased mobile device is genuine.
International calls: Allows citizens to report international calls disguised as domestic calls from numbers starting with +91 (10 digits after the country code).
Know your ISP: The app lets users check details of wireline Internet Service Providers across India by entering a PIN code, address, or ISP name. This initiative strengthens telecom security by empowering citizens to secure their digital identities and combat telecom fraud.
Sanchar Saathi also supports enforcement of TRAI’s Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR) by enabling users to report spam and fraudulent calls and messages at the click of a button.
The Sanchar Saathi initiative exemplifies Jan Bhagidari – people’s participation in governance. User reports play a crucial role in preventing misuse of telecom resources for cybercrime and financial fraud.
Privacy and security
The app is designed to strengthen telecom security while protecting user data and privacy. It complies with the Information Technology Act 2000 (IT Act), India’s primary law governing cybercrime, e-commerce, secure transmission, and data privacy.
Sanchar Saathi prioritises user privacy and collects only the minimum personal information necessary to provide services. The platform does not create profiles for commercial marketing, nor does it share user data with third parties.
The platform’s privacy practices align with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 (DPDP Act), which emphasises individual control, transparency, and accountability. It limits data collection to legitimate purposes, minimises data capture, and implements clear consent mechanisms.