Important Instruction to Mobile Users - Calls from a number with the +92 or +375 country code

Important communication from TRAI -

TRAI prohibits using personal numbers for telemarketing purposes. Please ensure your number is not involved in such activities. Also Please read the following Instruction from TRAI.

DNSChanger Malware threat

Some customers may face a connectivity disruption because of a malware infection due to DNSChanger in their machines. If the machine is infected, it will also infect the router and cause the traffic to go to a false DNS server. In USA, the law enforcement agencies are identifying and shutting down these false servers. This is a step to protect global users of Internet. The advisory from CERT.in provides you directions to check if your system is infected and, if so, enables you to correct it. Click here for more details from CERT-in.

Alert on malware protection

There is a reported increase in malicious activity by fraudsters in the telecommunication world. Complex malware, such as bot-nets may infect your systems and cause interruption or data-leak. Please keep your anti-virus updated and run frequent scans to prevent such infection. Click here for more details from CERT-in.

Don’ts

We would like to issue a general advisory to caution Indian telecom customers who are being arbitrarily targeted by calls fraudulently claiming the recipient customer as being a Prize/Lottery Winner.
In these types of phone frauds, the customer returns a missed call to a +92 or +375 country code and inadvertently reaches a fraudster pretending to be representative of airtel or another Indian mobile operator and informs the customer of having won some lottery/prize money. The fraudster then attempts to trick the customer into divulging sensitive personal information and to pay a commission to receive the winnings. Such commission is usually asked to be paid via an international DTH operator’s recharge vouchers.
To protect all our mobile subscribers from such malicious activities which may result in substantial increase in your phone bill, airtel would like to advise the following:

• Do not respond to any unexpected calls from a number with the +92 or +375 country code.
• Do not respond to any suspicious missed calls from unknown numbers. In case of such suspicious calls, please report the same to us immediately to your Mobile operator
• Do not get lured into any financial transactions or divulge any personal information like IMEI, Bank Account number and other information to callers offering prize money or lottery winnings. Also do not respond to any instructions to dial an international number to get the prize money.
• This luring may also be done through SMS messages offering prize money and seeking personal details on a specified email ID. Please do not respond to these.
• Do not respond to any SMS/Email from unknown sources prompting you to call on a number or go to a site offering free download of content/movie clips/pictures.

Do’s

• Avoid going from your mobile browser to sites which offer unreliable and questionable content.
• If you inadvertently access any of these sites, close any/all pop-up windows that may have opened.
• You should not download and/or install any software from sites where there are a large number of pop-up windows. Read everything carefully before clicking OK, especially when you are going to download something.
• Please be aware that certain websites use mobile or fixed line number to make outgoing calls. This is an illegal activity. Do not post your mobile number or fixed line number on the websites unless you are very sure that the site is secure.
• Do not delete data from your browser's history files, to enable you trace back problems, if necessary.
• Keep Bluetooth connectivity off when not required and or keep the security feature of your handset on high mode.
• Periodically check the icons on your handset and ensure that no new icons have appeared that has not consciously been installed by you.
• Check your Mobile bill regularly for any anomaly (to check for Outgoing International Calls). You may subscribe to daily unbilled alerts by sending ‘SUNB’ to 121 to check on your usage.
• Format your handset if you feel that unintentionally any of the above may have happened with you, this will remove malicious software from your handset.
• Refrain from sharing any personal information, identity proof or making any payments to people promising lottery or other unexpected awards.