New Delhi: At a time when digital financial fraud is rising sharply across the country, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has reported a significant breakthrough. The Ministry of Communications said that the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) has helped prevent cyber fraud losses worth nearly ₹660 crore within just six months of its launch. The outcome highlights the growing strength of India’s digital security architecture and underscores how inter-agency coordination and citizen participation are emerging as decisive tools in combating cybercrime.
According to DoT, the FRI was launched on May 22, 2025, and is being implemented through the department’s Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP). In a relatively short period, the system has delivered measurable results by enabling early detection and prevention of fraudulent financial transactions.
Critical Role of RBI and NPCI
DoT said the success of the FRI framework has been driven by strong institutional backing from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Their support enabled rapid adoption of the system across India’s banking and digital payments ecosystem. At present:
- More than 1,000 entities have been onboarded onto the DIP
- These include banks, Third-Party Application Providers (TPAPs) and Payment System Operators (PSOs)
- All participating institutions are using the FRI for real-time fraud risk assessment
This scale of integration has allowed the indicator to function as an early-warning mechanism across the financial system.
How ₹660 Crore in Fraud Was Prevented
DoT explained that financial institutions used the FRI to:
- Flag suspicious transactions at an early stage
- Decline high-risk transactions, or
- Send immediate alerts to customers, allowing preventive action before funds were lost
By intervening at the transaction level, banks and payment operators were able to stop fraudulent transfers before they were completed, thereby averting large-scale losses.
Evolving Nature of Cybercrime
The department cautioned that cybercriminals are increasingly operating like organised digital cartels, using advanced methods to evade detection. Key trends identified by DoT include:
- ‘Digital arrest’ scams, where victims are intimidated into transferring money
- Fake call centres and SIM-box networks, which bypass legal telecom routes
- Use of technological sophistication and psychological manipulation to target victims at scale
In this environment, DoT said, technology alone is not sufficient—public vigilance has become a critical line of defence.
‘Sanchar Saathi’ and Citizen Participation
DoT highlighted the role of its citizen-facing platform Sanchar Saathi, which has emerged as a core pillar of the FRI ecosystem. The platform functions as a crowdsourced cyber-intelligence tool, feeding real-time inputs from citizens directly into the fraud risk framework. Through the Sanchar Saathi web portal and mobile application, citizens can:
- Report suspicious calls and messages
- Flag fraudulent SIM connections issued in their names
- Block lost or stolen mobile handsets
The department acknowledged the contribution of vigilant users, describing them as “cyber warriors”. Rising app downloads and usage trends, DoT said, reflect growing public trust and proactive engagement in the fight against cyber fraud.
Why Reporting Matters
DoT emphasised that simply ignoring or disconnecting a fraud call does little to stop criminals from targeting others. Reporting such communications enables authorities to:
- Identify fraud patterns and networks
- Block offending numbers and disable fake connections
- Prevent repeat offences across the telecom and banking ecosystem
The ability to report suspected fraud directly from call logs on Sanchar Saathi has significantly simplified the process, encouraging higher participation.
Road Ahead
Reiterating its commitment to securing India’s digital payments ecosystem, DoT said sustained cooperation is essential among:
- RBI, NPCI, SEBI and PFRDA
- Banks and payment service providers
- Telecom operators and citizens
The department stressed that India’s rapidly expanding digital economy can remain safe only if technology, institutional coordination and public participation move forward in tandem.
