DoT suspends 2 telemarketing firms over 5.55 crore malicious SMSes linked to cybercrime

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The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom operators to suspend the services of two registered telemarketers (RTMs) - Onextel Media and V-CON Intelligent Security - for sending more than 5.55 crore malicious SMSes related to cyber-crimes since January 2024, sources said.

An investigation was initiated following reports of malicious SMSes at the 'Chakshu' facility on the Sanchar Saathi portal. A thorough analysis of the information provided by citizens resulted in significant discoveries and allowed for specific interventions.

The DoT has so far issued orders for the suspension and blacklisting of 131 Principal Entities (PEs), about 5,000 SMS templates and 700 SMS headers related to these malicious SMSes to prevent further misuse of telecom resources for cyber crimes.

Sources added that despite blacklisting the PEs, malicious SMSes were continuously being sent to citizens from new headers.

"Further analysis found that two RTMs, namely, Onextel Media Pvt Ltd and V-CON Intelligent Security Pvt Ltd, were involved in sending 5.55 crore malicious SMSes out of 5.66 crore such SMSes reported by citizens," one of the sources said.

DoT sources said that money had been transferred to the bank account of one of the two RTMs from the accounts involved in multiple complaints of organised transnational crimes, including illegal stock investment frauds. Gujarat Police are investigating this matter.

The department has issued orders to telcos to blacklist any entity found to be involved in sending malicious SMSs.

The department, based on citizen input and collaboration with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs (I4C, MHA), and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), has implemented stringent measures to protect citizens from malicious and fraudulent calls and SMSes.