New Delhi, June 25: A pre-recorded phone call claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has gone viral, warning users that their mobile number will be suspended due to alleged “illegal activity.” The caller then instructs recipients to “press 9” for more details. However, PIB Fact Check has confirmed that this is a fraudulent call and not issued by TRAI.

The call, received from international numbers — including a recent case from a Nepal-based number (+977-422478388) — mimics the tone of official government alerts used during the COVID-19 pandemic or recent scam awareness campaigns. Once users press 9, they are redirected to individuals posing as officials from TRAI, the police, or even the CBI, who then attempt to trap them in elaborate scams. Did India Post Payments Bank Warn Customers Their Accounts Would Be Blocked in 24 Hours if PAN Card Was Not Updated? PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake Claim

TRAI Does Not Call Users to Suspend Mobile Numbers

In recent months, such calls have led to serious financial losses. In August 2024, a Hyderabad resident lost INR 11 lakh after falling for this trap. Similarly, a 25-year-old IIT-Bombay graduate was duped of INR 7 lakh. Victims are often told they are under “digital arrest,” a fabricated term used to isolate them via video calls and pressure them into sharing sensitive documents or transferring money to “clear charges.” Indian Government Offering Free Laptops to Students Under ‘PM Free Laptop Yojana’? PIB Fact Checks Fake News Going Viral.

The government has clarified that TRAI does not initiate calls to individual users regarding mobile number suspensions. Users are urged not to share personal, financial, or identification details with unknown callers.

Authorities advise citizens to disconnect immediately upon receiving such calls and to report incidents on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: cybercrime.gov.in.

For more information, refer to the official PIB release here: pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2119782

Fact check

Is TRAI Calling Users to Suspend Their Mobile Numbers Over Illegal Activity? PIB Fact-Checks Viral ‘Digital Arrest’ Phone Call Scam
Claim :

TRAI is calling users to inform them that their mobile numbers will be suspended due to illegal activity.

Conclusion :

The viral call claiming to be from TRAI is fake. TRAI does not contact users regarding number suspension or ask them to press any number. It is a scam. Do not engage—disconnect immediately and report at cybercrime.gov.in.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 25, 2025 07:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).