India is combating scams and phishing through dedicated phone series and new domain TLDs

India’s digital landscape has seen a profound transformation with the introduction of innovations like Aadhar, RuPay, and UPI, significantly enhancing financial inclusion and the ease of digital transactions. The proliferation of affordable data has made financial dealings more accessible, but it has also inadvertently facilitated an increase in scams and phishing attempts. Scammers have become increasingly adept at exploiting digital expansion, employing innovative methods to circumvent new norms and deceive even the well-educated. Recognizing the growing issue of digital fraud, the Indian government has taken proactive steps to curb these threats. One notable measure includes the allocation of specific number series, 160 and 161, by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for service calls from businesses.

This initiative helps consumers distinguish genuine service-related calls from spam, enhancing trust in digital communications. Moreover, to tackle email phishing, the government has announced the introduction of new domain TLDs like .bank.in for banks and .fin.in for non-bank financial institutions, aiming to make it easier for users to identify legitimate financial websites. Despite these governmental efforts, the battle against digital scams is ongoing. While these measures offer significant protection, they are not entirely foolproof against all forms of digital fraud. There remains a crucial need for tighter registration processes to ensure only legitimate entities can use these dedicated domains and numbers. Additionally, there is a pressing demand for the evolution of cyber laws to provide more robust protection for individuals, ensuring they are not easily victimized by scammers in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.