The government on Monday clarified that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) does not initiate communication with customers regarding mobile number disconnection through messages or otherwise.

The clarification came in the wake of media reports in recent times that the consumers are being targeted through telephonic calls or messages by fraudsters posing as TRAI officials threatening disconnection of mobile connection for being involved in illegal activities and for the extraction of money.

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A government press note said the TRAI has also not authorised any third-party agency to contact customers for such purposes. Therefore, any form of communication (call, message, or notice) claiming to be from the TRAI and threatening Mobile Number disconnection should be considered a potential fraudulent attempt and must not be entertained.

The disconnection of any Mobile Number due to Billing, KYC, or misuse,e if any, is done by the respective Telecom Service Provider (TSP). Citizens are advised to be vigilant and not panic. They were also advised to cross-verify such calls by contacting the authorised call centres or customer service centres of the respective TSP.

To prevent the misuse of Telecom Resources for Cybercrime and Financial Fraud, citizens were encouraged to report suspected fraudulent communications through the Chakshu facility on the Department of Telecommunications Sanchar Saathi platform.