DoT says over five crore fake mobile connections disconnected in anti-fraud drive

The Department of Telecommunications disconnected over five crore fake mobile connections in a two-year period up to July 2026. The action formed part of telecom fraud control measures linked to cybercrime prevention, recovery of lost or stolen phones, and verification of mobile subscriber records.

Department of telecommunications and telecom regulation
The Department of Telecommunications is the central government body under the Ministry of Communications that regulates telecom services in India. Mobile subscriber verification, SIM issuance, and telecom security fall within its administrative and regulatory functions.

Fake mobile connections and SIM verification
Fake mobile connections are SIM cards issued using forged, incomplete, or misused identity documents. In August 2025, the government blacklisted nearly 40 lakh SIM cards, flagged 68 lakh mobile numbers for re-verification, and blacklisted 52,000 Point of Sale agents for facilitating fake registrations.

Cyber fraud control systems and recovery of phones
The DoT used the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator to identify telecom-linked fraud patterns and support action against cyber-enabled scams. These measures helped block cyber frauds worth over ₹1,800 crore and recover more than 12 lakh lost or stolen mobile phones.

Andhra Pradesh Licensed Service Area and Network Security Lab
During 2025-26, the Andhra Pradesh Licensed Service Area unit of the DoT busted 11 illegal telecom and cybercrime setups and recovered about 2.04 lakh lost or stolen mobile phones. The DoT also inaugurated its first Network Security Lab in Hyderabad in July 2026 to support research on telecom security and cybercrime prevention. GK Today