From Combating Fraud Calls To Tracing Stolen Phones, Sanchar Saathi Emerges As India's Cyber Shield

By Surabhi Gupta

New Delhi: With smartphones evolving into gateways for banking, e-entertainment, e-learning, e-healthcare, and e-governance services, India has emerged as the second-largest telecom ecosystem in the world, as mobile subscribers in the country cross the one billion mark. While the sheer number of connections reflects the widespread use of mobile technology, it also exposes users to a growing landscape of cyber threats. To tackle increasingly complex cyber threats, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT)'s Sanchar Saathi mobile app aims to securely empower citizens.

As per the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) report, cybercrime incidents in India went from around 16 lakh in 2023 to over 20 lakh in 2024, emphasising the urgency for stronger cyber safety methodologies. Furthermore, "digital arrest" scams and associated cybercrimes reported through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal rose to over 1.23 lakh in 2024, of which more than 17,000 were reported by February 2025. Against the backdrop of these incidents, the Sanchar Saathi initiative has been established as an empowering medium in the fight against telecom-related fraud.

Adoption and impact

In less than a year since its launch in January this year, the Sanchar Saathi app has surpassed 50 lakh downloads, signalling a keen interest from the public to take digital self-protection measures. Through the Sanchar Saathi app dashboard, a total of 22.76 lakh stolen or lost devices have been tracked back to the owners, while a total of 37.28 lakh mobile devices have been blocked, which otherwise would have been misused.

In addition, the DoT revealed that over 3 crore fraudulent mobile connections have been terminated, 37.51 lakh devices blocked, 16.97 lakh WhatsApp accounts disabled, and 20,000 bulk SMS senders blacklisted, tangible proof of the platform’s effectiveness in combating digital fraud.

What experts have to say

Information Security Professional Varun Nair tells ETV Bharat, “As a cybersecurity professional, I view the Sanchar Saathi app as a pivotal step in securing India’s digital ecosystem. With over 50 lakh downloads and more than 22 lakh lost or stolen devices traced, it has already delivered a measurable impact. By enabling citizens to block devices, check SIM misuse, and report suspicious calls or messages through Chakshu, the platform strengthens individual protection while curbing large-scale fraud. In a nation where mobile phones power banking, healthcare, and governance, Sanchar Saathi acts as a digital safeguard, building trust, resilience, and confidence in India’s fast-expanding digital economy.”

Cyber law expert Karnnika A Seth says that apps like Sanchar Saathi aim at curbing and combating rising cybercrime cases in the nation and digitally empower citizens to enforce their rights and bring efficiencies to existing law enforcement mechanisms in the country.

"It addresses data protection and privacy concerns, including data at risk in stolen phones," she adds. "It will also deal with identity theft scams, including digital arrest cases wherein scamsters make suspicious calls to dupe gullible citizens. It strengthens the KYC regime and brings transparency, accountability, and safety in public infrastructure and delivery of telecom services to the public.”

Cybersecurity expert Amit Dubey tells ETV Bharat that Sanchar Saathi is not just about recovering stolen phones, it’s about restoring trust in the mobile ecosystem. "With millions of Indians using their phones as banks, wallets and IDs, blocking a lost device instantly closes the door for criminals. This initiative signals a turning point; technology is finally being used at scale to outpace cyber fraudsters," he adds.

Sanchar Saathi mobile app is available on both iOS and Android (ETV Bharat)

Cyber law expert Sakshar Duggal says that India’s telecom ecosystem is undoubtedly the backbone of banking, governance, and everyday survival. Sanchar Saathi is cyber law in action, which is shifting power back to citizens by enabling IMEI blocking, fraud reporting, and KYC verification at scale.

“With over a billion mobile subscribers, India is writing the global playbook for telecom security, and the next frontier lies in integrating this citizen-driven data with AI-powered fraud detection and predictive policing to move from reactive defence to proactive prevention," he adds.

Key features of the app

The Sanchar Saathi application offers services directly to the user's smartphone in Hindi and 21 regional languages, providing modular access. The application is available on both Android and iOS. It has six citizen-centric tools, which include:

• Chakshu: It provides the ability to report suspected fraudulent communication services, which can be fake KYC-update messages, scam calls, or WhatsApp fraud.
• IMEI tracking and blocking: The application allows users to block their stolen or lost phones in India and also lets users stop their fraudulent sales by blocking the IMEI. Police agencies across the country can track stolen phones.
• Verify mobile connections: The application allows the user to see how many mobile connections exist in their name. If the user sees suspicious connections created using false KYC information, they can report and block them immediately.
• Know Your Mobile Handset's Genuineness: This tool helps consumers confirm if their device is genuine, either prior to or after a purchase.
• Reporting of International Calls using Indian Numbers: A public access system to report if they have received international scam calls showing +91 prefixes, which has become a growing form of fraud.
• Know Your ISP: A search and discovery tool to show the details of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) within India from a PIN code or name search.

Why Sanchar Saathi matters more than ever

Cyber experts argue that India’s telecom infrastructure is at an inflexion point. With UPI transactions crossing 1,200 crore in a single month, mobile phones are no longer communication devices but digital wallets and identity tools. The app's IMEI blocking and fraud-reporting features directly address loopholes that fraudsters have exploited for years.

The initiative also embodies Jan Bhagidari: people's participation in governance. By encouraging citizens to report frauds, the app transforms users into active partners in telecom security.

“For the first time, users are not just passive victims of fraud but empowered participants in preventing it. This is a fundamental shift in India’s digital security strategy,” noted Anusha Menon, a digital rights researcher.

To ensure transparency, the DoT has provided real-time dashboards with the number of blocked devices, deactivated SIMs, and fraud accounts traced, establishing a sense of trust in the system.

For users, the app is already proving useful. Neha Sharma, a student in Lucknow, shared her experience, “When my phone was stolen, I used the app’s IMEI blocking feature. Within hours, the device was blocked, and my personal data was safe. Without this, I would have been completely helpless.”

Similarly, Ramesh Verma, a shopkeeper in Bhopal, said, “I kept getting fake calls asking for my Aadhaar details to update KYC. I reported them easily with Chakshu. Knowing the government is acting on my report gives me confidence."

Privacy protections

Public awareness of privacy issues has grown, along with concerns about government surveillance. Privacy remains a key feature of Sanchar Saathi. The app only collects the minimum personal information needed, and only provides information to law enforcement officers when there is a legal requirement for that information.

“Our goal is not to profile citizens but to protect them. Sanchar Saathi is fully aligned with the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Privacy and security are the twin pillars of this initiative,” a DoT spokesperson assured.

This approach, experts say, is crucial in sustaining user trust.

Challenges ahead

Despite its early success, Sanchar Saathi faces challenges. Cybercriminals constantly evolve tactics, from SIM swapping and phishing to deepfake scams. Experts argue that the app must evolve rapidly to stay ahead.

Another challenge is awareness. While 50 lakh downloads are impressive, they cover only a small percentage of India’s mobile user base. The penetration into rural areas, where awareness of the threat of cyber is fairly minimal, remains low.

While India’s telecoms industry continues to grow rapidly, the threat of cybercrime will accelerate. Sanchar Saathi is a sign of proactive action in citizen-centric approaches to cybersecurity.