Silent Call Forwarding Scams: A Growing Cyber Threat

Cybercriminals are exploiting mobile call forwarding features to intercept sensitive information, such as banking OTPs. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre warns of this alarming trend, stressing the need for public awareness and caution against unknown USSD codes, especially those starting with 21, 61, or 67.

An alarming new cybercrime trend has surfaced, where scammers exploit the call forwarding features on mobile phones to access sensitive information.The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) warns that fraudsters reroute incoming calls and essential alerts, offering them direct access to victims' banking details and personal information.

The modus operandi involves impersonating service agents and tricking individuals into dialing USSD codes sent via SMS. Unbeknownst to the victims, these codes activate call forwarding to numbers controlled by scammers, who then receive bank OTPs and security alerts. This allows unauthorized financial transactions and account takeovers.

The I4C advises against entering USSD codes that begin with specific prefixes and suggests deactivating any unintended call forwarding by dialing ##002#. Citizens are urged to verify information directly with official sources and report any incidents to the cybercrime helpline immediately.

(With inputs from agencies.)