- India
- International
As more people enter the digital world, the number of online scams is on the rise in India. Fraudsters use various means to dupe innocents into stealing money and collecting personal data. To curb fraudulent communications, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has launched a new portal called Chakshu, which helps users report fraudulent phone numbers.
The platform Chakshu (meaning eye in Hindi) is meant for everyone to report a number that might have been used for suspected fraud communications, which might try to mimic a communication related to bank, credit card, digital payments, SIM, gas connection, and more. Once a user reports a suspected activity on Chakshu, TRAI will look into the details, and if found culpable, the service for the same number will be revoked with necessary legal actions.
On Chakshu, users can report a suspected fraudulent call, SMS, or even WhatsApp message. To file a report for fraudulent activity, one needs to choose one of the pre-defined fraud communication categories, such as KYC, impersonation, fake customer care helpline, online job, sextortion, malicious link or website, or any of the others specified on the platform.
If there is an image or screenshot, a user can attach it while filing a report; that provision is also provided, but it is not mandatory. Users also need to enter details like the date and time of the fraudulent communication and write a brief description of the incident.
To prevent the misuse of this platform, users also need to enter their personal details, such as name and phone number and to successfully file a report, one needs to verify the phone number using a one-time password (OTP).
Chakshu is meant to be a platform to protect users from fraud, and it cannot facilitate or handle financial-related cyber crimes. However, if a user is already a victim of online fraud, the same can also be reported to cybercrime by dialling 1930 or via cybercrime.gov.in.