All posts tagged: ussd

Telecom Department To Stop USSD Call Forwarding From April 15. Here’s Why

Published by Webster

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has recently taken a step to tackle the surge in online fraud cases across the country. They have made it mandatory for telecom operators to deactivate USSD-based call forwarding services nationwide from April 15, 2024, in response to various incidents of fraud stemming from illegal call forwarding.  “It has been decided by the competent authority that all licensees shall discontinue the existing USSD-based call forwarding services with effect from 15.04.2024 till further notice,” read the notice by the DoT. What is USSD call forwarding? USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) call forwarding is a feature on phones that lets you redirect incoming calls from one number to another. Instead of using settings, you can dial specific codes (*401#) on your phone to activate or deactivate it. It comes in handy for features such as checking balances, getting device information like IMEI, forwarding calls to another phone or sending them to voicemail. Why is USSD call forwarding being deactivated? The decision comes in response to the rising concerns regarding fraudulent activities and …

DoT Issues Order Seeking Temporary Suspension of USSD-Based Call Forwarding Facility

Published by Webster

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued an order dated March 28 seeking a temporary suspension of USSD-based call forwarding service. The order cites the rise of online scams and unwarranted usage of the facility as the reason behind the action. It is a temporary suspension, meaning the government body does not intend to permanently disable it, however, the official letter did not specify any date for its reinstatement. Notably, the agency launched the Chakshu Portal last month as a facility for the people of India to report suspected fraud communications. In an order, the DoT said that it had noticed that the USSD-based call-forwarding facility was being “misused in some unwarranted activities” pointing at its usage for committing online scams and fraud. The suspension also hints at the facility’s vulnerability in security. “ In this regard, it was decided by the competent authority that all licensees shall discontinue the existing USSD based call forwarding services with effect from 15.04.2024 till further notice,” the regulator added. The timing of the suspension could also be related to minimising …