DoT’s Fraud Risk Indicator Helps Avert ₹660 Crore in Cyber Fraud Losses in Six Months

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Monday said India’s Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) has helped prevent cyber fraud losses worth approximately Rs 660 crore within just six months of its rollout, underscoring the growing impact of coordinated inter-agency action and citizen participation in combating digital financial crimes.

The FRI, launched on May 22, 2025, is being implemented through DoT’s Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP). Its success, the department said, has been driven by active support from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which enabled large-scale onboarding across the financial ecosystem.

As of now, more than 1,000 entities, including banks, Third-Party Application Providers (TPAPs) and Payment System Operators (PSOs), have onboarded the DIP and are actively using the FRI to assess and mitigate fraud risks. According to DoT, financial institutions have leveraged the indicator to flag suspicious transactions, either declining them or issuing timely alerts, thereby averting potential losses across the banking system.

DoT is also conducting regular knowledge-sharing sessions to ensure effective adoption of the FRI. Sixteen such sessions have been held so far with stakeholders from banks, payment companies and other financial institutions. Highlighting the evolving nature of cybercrime, the department noted that fraudsters are increasingly operating like organised digital cartels, employing tactics ranging from digital arrest scams to sophisticated SIM-box networks that bypass legal telecom routes.

In this challenging environment, citizen participation, Jan Bhagidari, has emerged as a critical pillar of India’s cybercrime response. 'Sanchar Saathi', DoT’s citizen-facing platform, has played a central role by functioning as a crowdsourced cyber-intelligence tool. Inputs from citizens reporting suspected fraud communications, fraudulent connections taken in their names, and lost or stolen mobile handsets are continuously feeding into the FRI framework.

DoT acknowledged the contribution of vigilant citizens and 'Cyber Warriors' using the Sanchar Saathi web portal and mobile application. Recent trends in app downloads and usage, the department said, reflect growing public trust and proactive engagement in preventing cyber fraud.

While many informed users ignore or disconnect fraud calls, such actions do little to stop fraudsters from targeting others. Sanchar Saathi simplifies reporting by enabling users to flag suspected fraud communications directly from call logs in just a few taps. This helps authorities and telecom operators identify patterns, block offending numbers, disable fake connections and deter repeat offenders.

Reiterating its commitment to a secure digital payments ecosystem, DoT urged citizens to actively use Sanchar Saathi’s services. The department stressed that continued cooperation among RBI, NPCI, SEBI, PFRDA, banks, financial institutions, payment operators and citizens remains essential to safeguarding India’s rapidly expanding digital economy.