Sanchar Saathi app blocks 4.7 crore fraud mobile connections, expands to 22 languages

With tools like CEIR, DIP, ASTR, and FRI, the initiative has strengthened India’s digital telecom safety. Over 620 organisations are now part of the Sanchar Saathi network, including police, TSPs, and GSTN, ensuring a collaborative fight against telecom fraud.

Over 4.7 crore mobile connections have been disconnected through the Sanchar Saathi Mobile app, utilising an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered ASTR tool, citizen reports, and stakeholder inputs, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced on Tuesday.

These tools have also helped in blocking 5.1 lakh mobile handsets, disengagement of 24.46 lakh WhatsApp accounts, and blacklisting of 20,000 bulk SMS senders involved in fraudulent activities, it said, adding that over 82 lakh fake mobile connections have been disconnected, and more than 35 lakh lost or stolen phones have been blocked using only the ASTR tool.

The initiative has also successfully prevented 1.35 crore spoofed international calls within just 24 hours of launching this system. The system has achieved a 97 per cent reduction in such calls, it said.

Introduced in January 2025, the app allows users to report suspicious communications, block or trace lost/ stolen phones, and check for unauthorised mobile connections.

App expands to 22 languages, 46 lakh downloads

Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Telecommunications, also announced the launch of Sanchar Saathi Mobile app in Hindi and 21 regional languages to ensure its reach across diverse regions.

The Sanchar Saathi portal has seen massive public engagement, with 16 crore visits and an average of 2 lakh users every day.

“This citizen-centric digital safety initiative ‘Sanchar Saathi’ integrates advanced tools such as CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) to block stolen or lost phones, DIP (Digital Intelligence Platform), AI-based systems like ASTR (to detect connections taken on fake documents), and FRI (Financial Fraud Risk Indicator) to detect and prevent potential frauds. It has recorded remarkable progress in securing India’s telecom ecosystem,” Scindia said.

620 organisations join forces to counter fraud

Today, Sanchar Saathi has on-boarded 620 organisations, including central agencies, State Police forces, telecom service providers (TSPs), and GSTN, forming a strong collaborative network to counter telecom fraud and cyber threats across the country, he said adding that expansion of the app into regional languages marks a significant step toward ensuring digital safety for all.

It is now available on both Android and iOS platforms, and the app has seen more than 46 lakh downloads, the DoT said.

Published on July 29, 2025