With cyber fraud cases rising sharply across the country, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)’s move to block more than 21 lakh mobile numbers and blacklist nearly 1 lakh fraudulent entities over the past year has emerged as a major turning point for Odisha’s fight against organised digital crime.
Although the action is national in scope, its implications are particularly significant for Odisha—where police investigations frequently trace frauds to pre-activated SIM cards, duplicate identity documents and mule bank accounts, forming a deeply entrenched network.
National Crackdown, Strongest Impact in Odisha
TRAI’s campaign began following a surge in public complaints filed through official channels, allowing telecom service providers to verify suspicious numbers and disable them permanently.
Odisha Police maintains that if citizens in the state actively use TRAI’s DND and Sanchar Saathi systems to report suspicious numbers, authorities can eliminate fraud networks at their source, rather than relying solely on case-specific crackdowns.
Most cybercriminal syndicates operating in the state depend heavily on illegally issued SIM cards and borrowed or newly created bank accounts, making centralised SIM-level action a powerful tool.
Cybercrime Rising at an Alarming Pace in Odisha
Data placed before the Odisha Legislative Assembly shows a steep and sustained rise in cybercrime:
- 2022: 1,983 cases
- 2023: 2,348 cases — 18.4% increase
- 2021–2024: From 6,053 cases to over 53,000
- 2025 (until June): More than 28,000 cases already reported
The escalation is most severe in financial fraud:
- 2023: 18,081 complaints
- 2024: 43,740 complaints — over 140% surge
- Financial loss in 2024: ₹415.90 crore, marking a 400% rise in a single year
The numbers underline a clear pattern—Odisha has become a prominent target for sophisticated fraud syndicates operating across states.
Bhubaneswar: A Hub for Pre-Activated SIMs and Mule Accounts
Repeated police operations have revealed a similar fraud structure emerging across the state capital and adjoining districts.
Local mobile shops, small retailers and low-cost kiosk operators are frequently implicated in issuing pre-activated SIM cards using forged or duplicate documents. These SIMs are then transferred to organised cybercrime networks, masking the identity of the actual operators.
At the same time, individuals are lured into opening mule bank accounts in exchange for ₹2,000–₹5,000, or small commission-based incentives
These accounts are later used to route large sums of money siphoned from fraud victims.
In a recent case, the Crime Branch arrested four individuals—including engineering and pharmacy graduates—in frauds totalling ₹1.70 crore. One victim alone was cheated of ₹1.45 crore through a fake online trading scheme that relied on multiple mule accounts to obscure the money trail.
State Police’s New Strategy: Clampdown on SIM Vendors and Financial Trails
Odisha Police is now focusing on two key enforcement areas:
- 1) Targeted action against SIM vendors
- FIRs against those issuing SIMs with improper documentation
- Surprise inspections at mobile kiosks and retail stores
- Monitoring of unusually high-volume SIM activations
- 2) Aggressive tracing of bank accounts used in fraud
- Immediate reporting of suspicious transactions
- Rapid freezing of accounts linked to cybercrime
- Network-based profiling to identify larger syndicates
The state is also strengthening surveillance of devices with tampered IMEI numbers and tracking calls made through VPN masking tools, which criminals use to bypass location detection.
Clear Advisory for Citizens
Authorities have issued specific public guidelines:
- Report suspicious calls and numbers via TRAI DND and Sanchar Saathi
- Blocking numbers on phones does not disable them at the network level
- Do not share your SIM card or allow others to use a number registered in your name
- Never lend or sell bank accounts for commission
- Avoid any scheme offering money in exchange for opening new accounts
Conclusion: TRAI’s Action a Strategic Boost for Odisha
Odisha’s cybercrime ecosystem is largely built on identity-masked SIM cards and mule accounts, enabling criminals to operate across multiple states with minimal traceability. TRAI’s nationwide crackdown offers a strategic advantage by disrupting these networks at their foundation.
If public reporting improves and coordination between Odisha Police and telecom operators strengthens, the state could dismantle several long-running fraud syndicates—striking at the very root of cybercrime operations.
