Sanchar Saathi app: The Centre has asked smartphone companies in India to preinstall a state-developed cybersecurity application that allows users to report fraudulent calls and messages and stolen mobile phones, The Indian Express has learnt. Users should not be able to delete the application, the Department has told smartphone companies. It has insisted that all new devices sold by the manufacturers come pre-installed with the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ application, and a software update to be issued to phones that have already been sold with the application made available with it.
What is Sanchar Saathi?
At present, Sanchar Saathi is available as a mobile application as well as a website. For now, its use is optional.
The Sanchar Saathi website says, “Sanchar Saathi is a citizen centric initiative of Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to empower mobile subscribers, strengthen their security and increase awareness about citizen centric initiatives of the Government… Sanchar Saathi provides various citizen centric services. In addition, Keep Yourself Aware facility provides latest updates and awareness material on different aspects related to end user security, telecom and information security.”
What services does Sanchar Saathi offer?
It offers various facilities, like blocking a stolen phone, checking mobile connections in your name, and reporting suspected fraud through an option called Chakshu.
Chakshu
“Chakshu facilitates citizens to report the suspected fraud communications with the intention of defrauding telecom service users for cyber-crime, financial frauds, non-bonafide purpose like impersonation or any other misuse through Call, SMS or WhatsApp. Few examples of suspected fraud communications are communication related to impersonation as DoT / TRAI, police, Government official, suspected investment & trading, KYC & Payment related to Bank / Electricity / Gas / Insurance etc,” the website says.
However, it cautions that Chakshu can’t be used to report cybercrimes.
Users can also report Unsolicited Commercial Communication or spam received through voice calls or SMS, which will be dealt with as per TheTelecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR), 2018 regulations of TRAI.
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Apart from that, Chakshu enables users to report malicious web links and fraudulent communications that threaten cybersecurity. Whether it be financial frauds, phishing links, unverified APKs, device cloning attempts, or other misuse delivered through SMS, RCS, iMessage, and social media platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, anyone can promptly report it through the app.
Block your lost or stolen mobile phone
The app also enables the tracing of lost or stolen mobile devices, as well as blocking them. When someone attempts to use the blocked mobile phone, its traceability is generated, and one may easily unblock the phone through the app or portal once it is found.
The application can be downloaded from both Apple’s and Google’s app stores, and it permits the tracking and blocking of lost or stolen phones anywhere in the country, relying on the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of the phones. The IMEI, a unique 15-digit code, enables phone companies and mobile networks to identify and authenticate devices.