In a major move to curb cyber scams, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has teamed up with WhatsApp to prevent misuse of telecom networks for digital fraud and spam. Both parties will collaborate to educate citizens on spotting suspicious communications and reporting them, aiming to bolster digital safety.

WhatsApp will utilise inputs from DoT’s digital intelligence platform to take swift action against potential frauds. Meta’s ongoing campaign, ‘Scam Se Bacho’, also complements this partnership, further raising public awareness about online threats.

On Monday, Meta’s chief global affairs officer Joel Kaplan met Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to discuss the partnership’s progress. Scindia emphasized that leveraging WhatsApp’s wide user base will strengthen India’s digital security net. “Our collaboration with Meta reinforces our commitment to shield citizens from scams and cyber threats,” he said.

Kaplan highlighted Meta’s focus on empowering users through information and advanced technology to stay ahead of fraudsters. As part of the partnership, WhatsApp will co-create educational content with DoT, detailing different types of scams, red flags to watch, and how to report them via the Sanchar Saathi platform.

These materials will be available in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Gujarati to ensure maximum reach. DoT’s citizen-focused Sanchar Saathi portal and app also let users report fraud, check mobile connections, and block stolen devices.