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• TRAI has decided to launch 1601 number series for electricity, water, gas, LPG and courier services.
• 1601 number will be used only for service and transaction calls and cannot be used for promotional calls.
• This decision will make it relatively easy for citizens to identify potential fraud calls from common mobile numbers.

TRAI has taken a major decision to provide relief to common citizens from scammers. It can now be easier to identify whether a call received on your smartphone is for a company's service or a fraud. Because TRAI has decided to launch 1601 number series for electricity, water, gas, LPG and courier services. This series of numbers will now be used by companies for their and transaction calls.

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Help to prevent fraud calls

Currently banks, companies and other service providers make many calls from normal 10 digit numbers. Scammers and cybercriminals benefit from this. Scammers and cybercriminals call and defraud ordinary people claiming to be company or government officials. But now it will happen. Because now with a different number series it will be easier to identify the calls of these organizations. Also, this decision taken by TRAI will also help in curbing fraud calls from normal mobile numbers. (Photo Courtesy – AI Created)

These companies will get 1601 number

TRAI has decided to implement the 1601 series in a phased manner. In the first phase, utilities, courier and logistics sectors have been included. These include electricity distribution companies, water services, city gas companies and LPG distributors. Additionally, courier, parcel delivery, express logistics and freight companies can also avail this service.

Migration has to be done within 90 days

Organizations coming in the first phase will have to complete the migration and onboarding to the 1601 number within 90 days. Telecom companies will check with the concerned organization before issuing the number. This means, no one will be given a 1601 number directly.

No promotional calling from 1601 number

TRAI has made it clear that 1601 number cannot be used for advertising or promotional calls. It will be used only for important service and transaction calls.

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What will be the effect on common citizens?

In fact fraud calls on our phones are the biggest problem of common citizens. Scammers and cybercriminals have been deceiving citizens by claiming to be employees of banks, biz companies, couriers or other companies from normal mobile numbers. But now with number series it is very easy to distinguish between real and fake calls. However, don't blindly trust the call just because the phone number is '1601'. Never share OTP, PIN, password or banking information over phone.