India Mandates Biometric Aadhaar Verification for SIM Sales, Leveraging AI to Combat Telecom Fraud

PMO Orders Mandatory Biometric Aadhaar Verification for SIM Sales: Report

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has reportedly directed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to enforce mandatory biometric Aadhaar verification for all new mobile connections across India. The move is aimed at preventing misuse of telecom resources and ensuring stricter compliance among SIM card sellers, according to a report by ET. Also Read: India to Promote Cheap Data Rates, 5G Expansion to Attract Global Investments: Report The directive, issued during a recent telecom sector review meeting, calls for stern action against vendors flouting the rules. The DoT, leveraging AI-based tools, is working with law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to identify and penalise offenders, according to the report. "The DoT was told to ensure that no SIM card be issued without biometric Aadhaar verification and was also asked to closely collaborate with law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to penalise mobile fraudsters," the report quoted a person familiar with the discussion. "The DoT is working in close coordination with all national LEAs as well as those in the states. Digital intelligence generated through various AI-based tools are being shared with LEAs through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP)," a senior telecom department official was quoted as saying. The DIP, a secure system for real-time information sharing on telecom misuse, supports swift action against fraudulent mobile connections. Investigations revealed that multiple SIMs linked to single devices were being exploited for cybercrime and financial fraud. Also Read: Telecom Operators Must File Tariffs with TRAI Within 7 Days of Launch "Errant SIM card sellers are being closely analysed and information is shared for initiating action via telecom operators and LEAs against such sellers. As many as 365 FIRs across India have been lodged against the errant SIM card sellers," the DoT official cited said, as per the report. By the end of December 2024, over 26.7 million mobile connections were disconnected based on citizen complaints from the Sanchar-Saathi portal, AI analysis, and data shared via the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP). The DoT has also integrated AI tools to detect mobile connections obtained using fake documents. Fraudulent connections and associated devices are being deactivated to curb abuse.

PMO tells DoT to double down on mobile fraud

Kolkata: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has asked the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to strictly enforce mandatory biometric Aadhaar verification before sale of mobile connections across India as part of the government's efforts to combat cybercrime and digital fraud, and rein in abuse of national telecom resources. As per the minutes of a recent telecom sector review meeting, the PMO asked DoT to take stern action against errant SIM card sellers flouting legal provisions. "The DoT was told to ensure that no SIM card be issued without biometric Aadhaar verification and was also asked to closely collaborate with law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to penalise mobile fraudsters," a person aware of the discussions said. ET has seen a copy of the meeting minutes. The DoT, on its part, is using AI-based tools to generate digital intelligence that is being shared with LEAs, basis which action is being taken via telcos against errant sellers of mobile connections across the country. "The DoT is working in close coordination with all national LEAs as well as those in the states. Digital intelligence generated through various AI-based tools are being shared with LEAs through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP)," a senior telecom department official told ET. The DIP is a secure online platform for sharing of information relating to misuse of national telecom resources among stakeholders for prevention of cybercrime and financial fraud. The DoT has also developed AI tools that help identify mobile connections taken using fake/forged documents. Once identified, such mobile connections along with telecom resources and mobile handsets used in such fraudulent activity are being weeded out by the government. "Errant SIM card sellers are being closely analysed and information is shared for initiating action via telecom operators and LEAs against such sellers. As many as 365 FIRs across India have been lodged against the errant SIM card sellers," the DoT official cited said. At present, the DIP hosts a list of disconnected mobile connections on a near real-time basis and also provides reasons for such disconnections. This enables stakeholders to take appropriate action, including disengaging all associated services to these blacklisted mobile numbers. Till end-December 2024, DoT had disconnected 26.7 million numbers, basis feedback from the citizen-centric Sanchar-Saathi portal, data shared on the DIP platform and internal AI and big data-based analysis. During previous investigations by national LEAs, it had been noted that there were several instances where a single cell phone was used with innumerable SIMs to carry out cybercrime and online financial fraud.