India’s Sanchar Saathi portal has crossed 30 crore visits since its launch in May 2023, reflecting the growing use of the Department of Telecommunications platform for reporting suspicious communications, checking mobile connections, blocking stolen handsets and verifying device authenticity.
According to the Department of Telecommunications, citizen participation through Sanchar Saathi has contributed to the blocking of millions of fraudulent or unauthorised mobile connections, the recovery of more than 14 lakh lost and stolen handsets, and the prevention of suspected cyber-fraud losses exceeding ₹5,000 crore.
The government describes citizens using the platform as “Cyber Warriors” because every suspicious number, message or connection reported can generate intelligence that protects other users as well.
More Than 30 Crore Visits Since Launch
Sanchar Saathi was launched in May 2023 as a unified digital platform for telecom safety and fraud prevention.
The portal allows mobile users to access several services from one place, including checking SIM connections issued in their name, reporting suspicious communications, blocking lost devices and verifying whether a handset is genuine.
The Department of Telecommunications says the portal’s crossing of 30 crore visits demonstrates the scale at which citizens are now using digital tools to protect themselves from telecom-related fraud.
The Sanchar Saathi mobile application has also crossed 2.8 crore downloads, extending these services directly to smartphones.
More Than 14 Lakh Lost and Stolen Phones Recovered
One of Sanchar Saathi’s most widely used services allows citizens to block lost or stolen mobile phones across telecom networks.
So far, 60.96 lakh handsets have been blocked, while 37.85 lakh have been traced. More than 14 lakh lost or stolen mobile phones have been recovered.
When a blocked device is subsequently activated, traceability information can be generated and shared with police authorities. The system operates through coordination among the Department of Telecommunications, telecom service providers and State and Union Territory police forces.
The service also allows a recovered phone to be unblocked and returned to normal use.
More Than Four Crore Requests on Mobile Connections Resolved
Sanchar Saathi enables users to check all mobile connections issued using their identity.
Citizens can identify numbers they do not recognise or no longer require and report them for verification and action. This helps prevent SIM cards obtained using stolen or misused identities from being used for cybercrime.
The government says more than four crore citizen requests relating to mobile connections issued in their names have already been resolved.
This service addresses a key vulnerability in telecom fraud, where mobile numbers registered under another person’s identity can be used for financial scams, impersonation or other illegal activity.
Chakshu Allows Citizens to Report Fraud Calls and Messages
The Chakshu service within Sanchar Saathi allows users to report suspicious calls, SMS messages and WhatsApp communications.
Typical cases include fake KYC updates, electricity or bill-payment threats, impersonation of government officials, police officers or bank employees, fraudulent investment schemes, fake job offers and loan scams.
The Department of Telecommunications has received 12.80 lakh inputs on suspected fraudulent communications through Chakshu.
These reports have contributed to action in 59.82 lakh cases, including the disconnection of more than 50 lakh mobile connections.
Each report can help authorities identify linked numbers, devices and behavioural patterns, allowing action to be taken before more people are targeted.
Citizen Reports Help Prevent More Than ₹5,000 Crore in Suspected Fraud
Information generated through Sanchar Saathi feeds into the Department of Telecommunications’ Financial Fraud Risk Indicator, or FRI.
The system identifies mobile numbers that may be associated with financial fraud and assigns risk-based intelligence that can be shared with banks, payment providers, telecom companies and law-enforcement agencies.
According to the Department of Telecommunications, the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator has helped prevent suspected cyber-fraud losses of more than ₹5,000 crore.
The value of the system lies in connecting telecom intelligence with financial-sector fraud monitoring. A number reported by one citizen can therefore become a warning signal for banks and payment platforms handling transactions involving the same mobile identity.
Digital Intelligence Platform Connects More Than 1,600 Stakeholders
The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator operates through the wider Digital Intelligence Platform, which connects government agencies, financial institutions, payment service providers, telecom operators and law-enforcement organisations.
More than 1,600 stakeholders are connected to this ecosystem.
Information received through citizen complaints can therefore move quickly across different sectors. Banks may incorporate telecom risk indicators into transaction-monitoring systems, while telecom companies and enforcement agencies can act against suspicious mobile connections and devices.
The government describes this structure as a whole-of-government approach to combating cyber fraud.
International Calls Disguised as Indian Numbers Can Be Reported
Sanchar Saathi also allows users to report incoming international calls that appear to originate from Indian mobile numbers.
Such calls can result from illegal telecom routing or caller identification manipulation intended to make an overseas call appear domestic.
Citizen reports help authorities identify and act against illegal telecom set-ups used for fraud or unauthorised routing.
This capability has become increasingly relevant as fraud networks use internet-based communication systems to conceal their actual locations.
Users Can Verify a Phone Before Buying It
Another Sanchar Saathi service allows consumers to verify a mobile handset using its International Mobile Equipment Identity, or IMEI number.
This can help buyers establish whether a new or second-hand handset is genuine before completing a purchase.
IMEI verification also supports efforts against cloned, tampered or illegally imported mobile devices that may otherwise enter the consumer market.
Combining device verification with stolen-phone blocking creates a broader system for protecting the integrity of India’s mobile handset ecosystem.
Trusted Contact Details Help Counter Impersonation Scams
The platform also provides Trusted Contact Details for banks and financial institutions.
Users can verify official customer-care numbers, email addresses and website links before sharing personal or financial information.
This is particularly important because impersonation remains one of the most common forms of digital fraud. Scam callers frequently pose as bank officials, government representatives or law-enforcement officers to obtain passwords, one-time passwords or account information.
Providing verified contact information gives citizens a simple way to check whether a communication is genuine.
Awareness Tools Explain Emerging Scam Methods
Sanchar Saathi includes public-awareness material covering common and emerging fraud methods.
These include fake loan applications, fraudulent investment schemes, job scams, fake traffic challans and other forms of social engineering.
The aim is to prevent fraud before a transaction takes place by helping users recognise the techniques commonly used by scammers.
Fraud prevention therefore extends beyond enforcement to public education and behavioural awareness.
Services Available in 23 Languages
The Sanchar Saathi mobile application is available in English, Hindi and 21 regional languages, making its services accessible across a much wider section of the population.
Multilingual access is particularly important for fraud prevention because scams increasingly target users outside large urban centres and often operate in regional languages.
The platform combines these language options with simplified service flows, public dashboards and educational material.
Citizens Become Part of the Fraud-Detection Network
The significance of Sanchar Saathi lies in the way citizen reports are converted into operational intelligence.
A person reporting a suspicious call may help identify a number involved in a larger fraud network. A user flagging an unauthorised SIM can prevent that connection from being used to impersonate someone else. A stolen-phone report can help law-enforcement agencies trace and recover a device.
This creates a feedback system in which citizens are not merely recipients of government protection but contributors to the intelligence used to combat fraud.
The Department of Telecommunications has consequently described Sanchar Saathi users as Cyber Warriors whose reports can protect entire communities.
Victims Who Have Lost Money Should Use Cybercrime Channels
Sanchar Saathi is primarily designed for telecom-resource misuse and suspicious communications.
Citizens who have already lost money or become victims of cybercrime should immediately report the incident through the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Rapid reporting is particularly important in financial fraud cases because early intervention can improve the chances of freezing or recovering transferred funds.
Sanchar Saathi Is Becoming a Core Part of India’s Cyber-Fraud Defence
The latest figures show that Sanchar Saathi has evolved well beyond a portal for blocking stolen phones.
Its integration with telecom operators, banks, payment platforms and law-enforcement agencies has turned citizen reporting into a source of intelligence for wider fraud-prevention systems.
More than 30 crore portal visits, over four crore resolved requests relating to mobile connections, more than 14 lakh recovered handsets and over ₹5,000 crore in suspected prevented fraud losses demonstrate the scale at which the system is now operating.
As telecom and financial fraud become more sophisticated, the combination of citizen participation, automated risk indicators and institutional data-sharing gives India a stronger framework for identifying threats early and disrupting fraud before more people are affected.
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References
Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Communications, Department of Telecommunications — Sanchar Saathi portal crosses 30 crore visits as citizens turn Cyber Warriors against telecom fraud, October 5, 2026.
Department of Telecommunications — Sanchar Saathi Portal.
https://www.sancharsaathi.gov.in/
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, Ministry of Home Affairs.
https://www.cybercrime.gov.in/
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