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New Delhi: TRAI has flagged a rise in scams where fraudsters impersonate officials and misuse the regulator’s name to frighten or confuse people. Victims are approached via calls, messages or fake documents stating urgent legal issues; everything from SIM deactivation threats to false “digital arrest” notices. TRAI stresses that these claims are completely unauthorised.
Scammers even use forged letters with TRAI’s logo or claim that SIM disconnection is imminent due to KYC errors. They try to coerce victims into sharing bank, Aadhaar or OTP details, or demand money for phony “verification” or “legal bail”. None of this is TRAI’s work.
TRAI says it never contacts consumers with threats or legal claims. No real regulator collects payments or personal info via phone or messages. TRAI emphasises that any third party claiming to be working on its behalf is fake.
The so-called “digital arrest” scam is particularly worrying. People get a call saying they’ve committed telecom or financial crimes. They are shown fake documents or told that accounts will be frozen unless they pay a fine immediately.
Other scams in TRAI’s radar include:
TRAI is an independent body under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. Its job is to regulate telecom and broadcasting and monitor service quality. It does not investigate individuals, threaten consumers, or ask for personal data over calls or chats.
TRAI reminds us that:
TRAI advises citizens, especially elderly or less tech-savvy users, to stay alert and follow these steps:
Early action and awareness can help prevent these scams from succeeding.desk
