India Cracks Down: Millions of SIM Cards Blocked in Cybercrime Sweep

India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that, as of November 15 this year, approximately 6.7 million SIM cards and 1.3 million IMEI identifiers linked to devices used in cybercrimes have been deactivated.

To combat such offenses, the central government, in collaboration with telecommunications operators, has developed a system designed to detect and block international calls masquerading as local numbers. These calls are frequently employed in fraudulent schemes, including fake arrests, the infamous “FedEx scam,” and impersonation of government officials or police personnel.

Telecom operators have been instructed to intercept and block such calls.

Furthermore, in 2021, under the I4C initiative, the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System was launched. This platform facilitates the swift reporting of financial fraud incidents and prevents unauthorized withdrawals. Since its inception, the system has safeguarded over ₹3,431 crore by addressing more than 9.9 million complaints.