Whopping 7948 Vodafone SIM blocked in crackdown!

An increasing number of cybercrimes has led telecom service providers to launch a crackdown against wrongdoers and block thousands of SIM Cards with Vodafone has blocking nearly 8,000 SIM cards in Madhya Pradesh that were issued on fake ID proof. Madhya Pradesh cyber police has directed the telecom service provider to block those SIM cards that were not linked to any valid ID proof in order to prevent cybercrimes. As many as 7,948 SIM cards of Vodafone Idea have been ordered blocked. Other telecom service providers like Airtel, and BSNL have also been instructed to take the necessary steps in order to prevent cybercrimes like fake call frauds.

This follows the crackdown after a person from Gwalior filed a complaint that he was duped Rs. 1.75 lakh after being lured to buy a car through a Facebook advertisement in 2020. The cyber cell unit of Gwalior on investigation found that the number used by fraudsters to cheat the complainant was issued on a fake ID proof- it was on a different person's identity.

Gwalior cyber zone Superintendent of Police Sudhir Agrawal informed PTI that the number used by the fraudsters was issued by a telecom company on the basis of an identity document of a different person. He also informed, “Later, eight people were found to be involved in issuing the SIM card to those involved in the crime.”

The cyber police also found that the fraudsters allegedly used 20,000 different numbers to dupe people by fake calling and all these Sim cards were issued without any valid Id proof.

Agarwal further added that this is the first time in the country that so many SIM cards have been blocked by a telecom company to save innocent people from getting duped by fraudsters. Meanwhile, other telecom services providers are also re-verifying the numbers to block these SIM cards and is likely to take the action soon.