Sanchar Saathi App: The Government of India has taken a big step to further strengthen mobile security. The Communications Ministry has directed all major smartphone companies including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo to sell their new devices by pre-installing the government’s cyber security app Sanchar Saathi.
According to media reports, companies have been given 90 days for this and the app will have to be included in such a way that users do not get the option to remove or disable it. This app will soon be added to the devices already present in the supply chain through software update. This order was not made public but was sent privately to the companies.
What is Sanchar Saathi App?
Sanchar Saathi app is the mobile version of the government portal of the same name which was launched in May 2023. In January 2024, DoT launched its mobile app on both Android and iOS platforms so that people can protect themselves from mobile theft, fraud and fake connections. Through this app, any user can immediately block his lost or stolen mobile phone on any telecom network in the country. As soon as that phone is used anywhere, its location will reach the law and order agencies.
What does Chakshu feature?
The Chakshu feature in the app allows users to report fake calls, spam SMS or WhatsApp messages. This makes identification and action against cyber fraud easier.
Complete control over number and device information
Sanchar Saathi app also shows how many mobile numbers are running in your name. If any unknown or unauthorized number is active in your name, it can be reported immediately. Apart from this, the KYM (Know Your Mobile) feature present in the app checks the genuineness of the phone and the validity of the IMEI. This makes it easier to identify duplicate or cloned smartphones.
Why does the government want to make this app mandatory?
According to reports, the government aims to stop fake IMEI, cloned mobiles and cyber fraud. Incorrect IMEI numbers often lead to major scams and network misuse. Making Sanchar Saathi mandatory is being considered a big step towards stopping such cases to a great extent.
How helpful did this app prove to be?
More than 50 lakh people have downloaded this app since its launch. According to government data, with the help of Sanchar Saathi, more than 37 lakh stolen or lost mobiles have been blocked and more than 3 crore fake mobile connections have been terminated. The government believes that having this app in every new phone will significantly reduce cyber crime and mobile fraud in the future.
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