MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a public warning over a rise in fraudulent calls and messages from scamsters posing as TRAI officials, falsely claiming users' mobile connections will be disconnected due to alleged illegal activity.

"There have been several media reports in the recent times that the consumers are being targeted through telephonic calls or messages by fraudsters posing as TRAI officials threatening disconnection of mobile connection for being involved in illegal activities and for extraction of money,” TRAI noted in an official statement.

The regulator clarified that TRAI does not contact consumers regarding mobile disconnections, nor has it authorised any third-party agency to do so. Any such calls or messages should be treated as potentially fraudulent and ignored.

The responsibility for disconnection of mobile numbers whether due to billing issues, KYC non-compliance, or misuse rests solely with the respective Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).

Citizens are strongly advised not to panic, and to verify any suspicious calls by reaching out directly to their telecom provider’s official customer care.

To curb cybercrime and financial fraud, the Department of Telecommunications encourages users to report such scam attempts through the Chakshu facility available on the Sanchar Saathi platform.