The Department of Telecom has asked telecom operators to deactivate USSD-based call forwarding with effect from April 15, and provide the service using alternative methods. USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) service allows users to activate various services by just dialling an active code on their phones. For example, the service is often used for checking IMEI numbers and prepaid phone balances. However, after 15 April, USSD can’t be used to activate call forwarding.
As per the govt, this order has been issued to check frauds and online crimes that are operated through mobile phones. In an order issued on March 28, the DoT said that it has come to its notice that USSD based call forwarding facility, the *401# services for unconditional call forwarding services, is being misused for some unwarranted activities.
“In this regard, it has been decided by the competent authority that all licensees shall discontinue the existing USSD-based call forwarding services with effect from April 15, 2024, till further notice,” the notification said.
The users who have activated call forwarding using USSD will have to re-activate the service using alternate methods after 15 April. The order stated, “All existing subscribers who have activated USSD-based call forwarding service may be asked to reactivate call forwarding services through alternative methods to ensure that such services are not activated without their notice.”
Recently, a rise in cybercrimes using USSD-based call forwarding has been noticed, prompting the govt to stop the service. The criminals call people pretending to be customer service representatives or technical support staff from their telecom service provider. They claim that there is a problem with the SIM of the user or other similar issues related to the telecom network, and ask the telecom subscriber to dial the code *401# followed by a mobile number to ‘resolve the issue’.
By doing so, the victim unknowingly activates unconditional call forwarding on the phone number. This means all incoming calls are forwarded to the number of the fraudster. This can be used to intercept various sensitive information, like voice call based OTP.
Earlier in January this year, the Department of Telecommunications advised users to beware of receiving malicious incoming calls asking them to dial *401# followed by an unknown mobile number.
The union govt in recent times has issued several such advisories cautioning people about cybercrime. On 29 March, the Ministry of Communications issued an advisory against calls impersonating DoT, where the fraudsters threaten people to disconnect their mobile numbers. The DoT also issued an advisory about WhatsApp calls from foreign-origin mobile numbers (like +92-xxxxxxxxxx) impersonating government officials and duping the people.
Cybercriminals through such calls try to threaten/steal personal information to carry out cyber-crime/financial frauds. The DoT has advised citizens to report such fraud communications at the ‘Chakshu-Report Suspected Fraud Communications’ facility of the Sanchar Saathi portal. Such proactive reporting helps DoT in the prevention of misuse of telecom resources for cybercrime, financial frauds, etc.
The DoT has also advised citizens to report at the cybercrime helpline number 1930 or the cybercrime website in case of already a victim of cyber-crime or financial fraud.