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—report-fraud-call-sms-chakshu-2026 [2026/08/11 02:31] (current) – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
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 +{{htmlmetatags>metatag-title=(Report a Fraud Call, SMS or WhatsApp on Chakshu 2026)
 +metatag-keywords=(Chakshu portal, report fraud call India, report fraud SMS, report fraud WhatsApp message, sancharsaathi.gov.in Chakshu, suspected fraud communication, report spam UCC, RICWIN international call Indian number, report suspicious link SMS, 1930 cyber helpline, DoT fraud reporting, impersonation call government official)
 +metatag-description=(How to report a fraud call, SMS, WhatsApp message or suspicious link on Chakshu at sancharsaathi.gov.in, the 30 day rule, and when to call 1930 instead.)
 +metatag-og:description=(How to report a fraud call, SMS, WhatsApp message or suspicious link on Chakshu at sancharsaathi.gov.in, the 30 day rule, and when to call 1930 instead.)
 +metatag-og:image=(https://righttoinformation.wiki/_media/social/auto/report-fraud-call-sms-chakshu-2026-human-photo.webp)}}
 +
 +====== Report a Fraud Call, SMS or WhatsApp on Chakshu 2026 ======
 +
 +{{ :social:auto:report-fraud-call-sms-chakshu-2026-human-photo.webp?direct&1200 |An Indian woman checks a suspicious message on her phone while a family member helps her prepare to report it on Chakshu.}}
 +
 +<WRAP info>
 +**Quick Reply:** Go to [[https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/|sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc]], choose "Report Suspected Fraud", enter the number that contacted you, pick the fraud category, attach a screenshot and submit. Report within **30 days** of receiving the communication. **If you have already lost money, Chakshu is the wrong tool** - call **1930** or file at [[https://cybercrime.gov.in|cybercrime.gov.in]] first, because Chakshu does not recover money. This page is citizen guidance only; it is not an official government, regulator, bank, telecom, or insurance page.
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +Chakshu is the part of the Sanchar Saathi portal where you report the call, SMS or WhatsApp message itself - the fake KYC update, the "your electricity will be disconnected tonight" text, the caller claiming to be from the police. It is a free service of the [[https://dot.gov.in|Department of Telecommunications]], and it exists so the government can act against the connection behind the fraud before it reaches the next person.
 +
 +If the message may be a real operator KYC notice rather than impersonation, first [[:sim-reverification-sms-keep-number-active-2026|check whether the SIM re-verification SMS is genuine]] without opening its link or sharing an OTP.
 +
 +The scale is real. In a press statement dated 3 December 2025, the Ministry of Communications said 1.4 crore users had downloaded the Sanchar Saathi app and were "contributing to information on 2000 fraud incidents per day."
 +
 +**Most people arrive here having confused two different systems.** Chakshu handles the *communication*. The [[:1930-helpline-cyber-fraud-script|1930 cyber helpline]] handles the *money*. Getting this wrong costs you the golden hour, and this guide separates them properly. For checking which SIMs are registered against your own identity, see [[:check-sim-misuse-tafcop-2026|check SIM misuse via TAFCOP]].
 +
 +===== What Chakshu is =====
 +
 +Chakshu is a module on the Sanchar Saathi portal run by the Department of Telecommunications. In the portal's own words, it "facilitates citizens to report the suspected fraud communications with the intention of defrauding telecom service users for cyber-crime, financial frauds, non-bonafide purpose like impersonation or any other misuse through Call, SMS or WhatsApp."
 +
 +Sanchar Saathi hosts several citizen modules. Chakshu is the reporting one. The others include [[:check-sim-misuse-tafcop-2026|TAFCOP]] for mobile connections in your name, [[:block-lost-stolen-sim-card-india|CEIR]] for blocking a lost or stolen handset, KYM for checking whether a handset's IMEI is genuine, RICWIN for international calls showing Indian numbers, and KYI for wireline internet providers.
 +
 +===== The three things you can report on Chakshu =====
 +
 +The Chakshu landing page offers three separate routes. Choosing the right one matters, because they go to different teams.
 +
 +^ What you report ^ Route to choose ^ Covers ^
 +| A fraud call, SMS or WhatsApp message | **Report Suspected Fraud** | Fake KYC, bank or wallet updates, SIM, gas or electricity disconnection threats, impersonation as a government official, sextortion |
 +| A suspicious link you were sent | **Report Suspected Web Links** (marked Beta) | Links arriving by SMS, RCS, iMessage, email or social media handles |
 +| A marketing call or SMS you never consented to | **Report Spam (UCC)** | Unsolicited commercial communication that ignores your consent or registered preference |
 +
 +All three carry the same instruction on the portal: report within 30 days.
 +
 +===== What you need before you start =====
 +
 +  * The **exact number** that called or messaged you, as it appeared on your screen, including any prefix.
 +  * The **date and time** the communication was received.
 +  * A **screenshot** of the SMS or WhatsApp message, or your call log entry for a call. Take this before you delete anything.
 +  * Your own mobile number, for the OTP that verifies your report.
 +  * The **medium** - whether it arrived as a call, an SMS or a WhatsApp message.
 +
 +Do not delete the message to feel safe. The screenshot is the whole evidentiary value of your report, and it is also what you will need if the matter later becomes a police complaint.
 +
 +===== How to report a suspected fraud call, SMS or WhatsApp on Chakshu =====
 +
 +  - Open **[[https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/|sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc]]** in any browser, or open the Sanchar Saathi app.
 +  - Under "Report Suspected Fraud", select **Proceed**.
 +  - Choose the **medium** through which the communication arrived - Call, SMS or WhatsApp.
 +  - Select the **category** of suspected fraud that fits best, such as a KYC update demand, an impersonation as a government official, or a wallet or bank account message.
 +  - Enter the **suspected number** exactly as it appeared, along with the date and time.
 +  - Upload your **screenshot** and write a short description of what was said or demanded. Keep it factual: what was claimed, what was asked for, and what you did.
 +  - Enter **your own mobile number**, request the OTP, and validate it.
 +  - Submit, and save the confirmation reference on the acknowledgement screen.
 +
 +Screenshot the acknowledgement. If you later escalate through a grievance or an RTI, that reference is the proof that you reported it and when.
 +
 +===== How to report a suspicious link =====
 +
 +If someone sent you a link rather than a demand - a shortened URL claiming to be a courier tracking page, a refund page or a bank login - use **Report Suspected Web Links** instead. The portal states that "web links reported will be added to suspected/suspicious repository after analysis", and applies the same 30 day window.
 +
 +Report the link even if you did not click it. That is the point of the module: links reported early are what stop the next person from clicking.
 +
 +If you did click it and entered details, treat it as a live fraud. Change the password on the affected account, and go to the money route described below.
 +
 +===== How to report spam and unwanted marketing calls =====
 +
 +Chakshu's third route covers Unsolicited Commercial Communication, which is the regulatory name for marketing calls and texts. The portal defines it as communication by voice call or SMS "which is not as per the consent given by recipient or as per registered preference(s)".
 +
 +On timing, the portal is more specific here than elsewhere: complaints made within 30 days are investigated, while reports made after 30 days "aid in proactively finding spammers". So a late spam report is still worth filing, it simply will not be investigated as your individual complaint.
 +
 +For setting your preferences in the first place so the calls stop arriving, see [[:trai-dnd-stop-spam-calls-sms-complaint-india|TRAI DND: stop spam calls and SMS]].
 +
 +===== RICWIN: when an international call shows an Indian number =====
 +
 +If you received a call that displayed an ordinary Indian +91 number but you have reason to believe it came from abroad, that is a separate module called RICWIN, short for Report Incoming International Call With Indian Number. It sits at [[https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/InternationalCall/ReportIntCall.jsp|sancharsaathi.gov.in/InternationalCall/ReportIntCall.jsp]].
 +
 +The form asks for the mobile number on which you received the call, your telecom service provider, your circle or licensed service area, and your state. The portal also lists **1963** and **1800-110-420** as alternative reporting numbers for this.
 +
 +This matters more than it sounds. In a press release dated 24 January 2025, the Department of Telecommunications explained that fraudsters were making calls from abroad while manipulating the Calling Line Identity so the call displayed an Indian mobile number. DoT said its International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System blocked around 90 per cent of incoming spoofed international calls, approximately 1.35 crore in 24 hours, after which the daily figure of spoofed calls carrying Indian numbers fell to about 4 lakh per day. DoT also asked telecom operators to display "International Calls" on calls originating outside India.
 +
 +The practical rule for you: a call that announces itself as an international call cannot be from DoT, TRAI, the police, the RBI or customs. Those bodies do not call you from abroad. This is the single most common setup behind the [[:digital-arrest-scam-india|digital arrest scam]].
 +
 +===== What Chakshu will not do =====
 +
 +This is the section most guides skip, and it is the reason people lose time.
 +
 +  * **Chakshu does not recover money.** The portal itself carries the note: "If you have already lost money, please report at cyber crime helpline 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in."
 +  * **Chakshu does not give you a case number for a police investigation.** It is an intelligence input to the telecom system, not an FIR.
 +  * **Chakshu does not tell you who owned the number.** You will not be told the subscriber's identity, and you should not expect a personal outcome report.
 +  * **Chakshu does not block the number on your phone.** Blocking the caller on your own handset is a separate thing you should also do.
 +
 +None of this makes it pointless. Reporting is what gets the connection disconnected at the operator's end, and disconnection is what protects the next target.
 +
 +===== Escalation ladder: which channel for which situation =====
 +
 +^ Your situation ^ Where to go first ^ Then ^
 +| A suspicious call, SMS or WhatsApp arrived, no money lost | Chakshu, Report Suspected Fraud | Block the number on your handset |
 +| A suspicious link arrived | Chakshu, Report Suspected Web Links | Do not click; change passwords if you already did |
 +| Marketing calls and texts you never consented to | Chakshu, Report Spam, and TRAI preferences | [[:trai-dnd-stop-spam-calls-sms-complaint-india|TRAI DND process]] |
 +| An Indian-looking number you believe came from abroad | RICWIN, or 1963 / 1800-110-420 | Report the content on Chakshu too |
 +| **Money has already left your account** | **1930**, then [[https://cybercrime.gov.in|cybercrime.gov.in]] | [[:1930-helpline-cyber-fraud-script|Use the 1930 call script]] |
 +| A SIM in your name that you never took | [[:check-sim-misuse-tafcop-2026|TAFCOP]] | Report the unknown number there |
 +| Your handset was lost or stolen | [[:block-lost-stolen-sim-card-india|CEIR block]] | File a police report |
 +| The department did not act and you want to know why | RTI to DoT | [[:write-effective-rti-application-2026|How to write the application]] |
 +
 +===== What happens after you report =====
 +
 +Your report goes into the Department of Telecommunications system as an input against the reported number. Where the reports and the analysis justify it, the connection can be disconnected and the associated handset identifiers can be blocked.
 +
 +The Ministry has published aggregate outcomes for the Sanchar Saathi initiative as a whole. In a statement dated 2 December 2025, the Union Minister for Communications cited 1.43 crore mobile connections disconnected by citizens selecting "Not My Number", 40.96 lakh fraudulent connections disconnected on the basis of citizen reports, and 6.2 lakh fraud-linked IMEIs blocked.
 +
 +What you will not get is an individual case update. Chakshu does not run a per-complaint status tracker the way a consumer grievance portal does. If you need to know what action was taken on a specific report, the honest route is an RTI application, described below.
 +
 +===== Using RTI when you want to know what was done =====
 +
 +Because Chakshu gives no individual outcome report, an RTI application to the Department of Telecommunications is the only way to find out what happened to a number you reported.
 +
 +Address it to the Central Public Information Officer, Department of Telecommunications, and keep the questions narrow and factual. Ask for the action taken on the report bearing your acknowledgement reference, the date on which the reported connection was verified, and whether the connection was disconnected. Do not ask for opinions, and do not ask for the subscriber's personal details - that will be refused under the personal information exemption, and a badly framed request gets the whole application rejected.
 +
 +File it at [[https://rtionline.gov.in|rtionline.gov.in]]. For structure and wording, see [[:write-effective-rti-application-2026|how to write an effective RTI application]].
 +
 +===== Common mistakes =====
 +
 +  * **Deleting the message first.** Without the screenshot you have almost nothing to submit.
 +  * **Reporting on Chakshu when money is gone.** The clock that matters after a financial loss is the one at 1930, and every hour spent elsewhere reduces the chance of a freeze on the receiving account.
 +  * **Waiting past 30 days.** The portal applies a 30 day window across all three routes.
 +  * **Entering the number wrongly.** Drop a digit and the report is worthless. Copy it from the call log rather than typing from memory.
 +  * **Reporting the victim's number.** Report the number that contacted you, not your own.
 +  * **Assuming a reply is coming.** No individual outcome is sent. Save your reference and move on.
 +  * **Engaging with the caller to gather evidence.** Do not call back and do not keep them talking. A screenshot of the log is enough.
 +
 +===== Frequently asked questions =====
 +
 +==== Does Chakshu cost anything? ====
 +
 +No. Chakshu is a free citizen service on the Sanchar Saathi portal operated by the Department of Telecommunications.
 +
 +==== Do I need to create an account or log in? ====
 +
 +No account is required. Your report is verified with an OTP sent to your own mobile number.
 +
 +==== What is the difference between Chakshu and 1930? ====
 +
 +Chakshu is for reporting a suspected fraud communication where no money has been lost. 1930 is the cyber helpline for financial fraud that has already happened. The Chakshu page itself directs users who have lost money to 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.
 +
 +==== Can I report a WhatsApp message on Chakshu? ====
 +
 +Yes. The portal names Call, SMS and WhatsApp as the covered mediums for the Report Suspected Fraud route.
 +
 +==== What if the fraud came through Telegram or Instagram? ====
 +
 +The Report Suspected Fraud route names Call, SMS and WhatsApp. However, the Report Suspected Web Links route accepts links received through SMS, RCS, iMessage, email or social media handles, so a suspicious link from another platform can be reported there. For platform-specific account abuse, report inside the platform as well.
 +
 +==== Will I be told who owns the number I reported? ====
 +
 +No. You will not be given the subscriber's identity, and asking for it in an RTI application will attract the personal information exemption.
 +
 +==== How long do I have to report? ====
 +
 +Thirty days from receiving the communication, across all three Chakshu routes. For spam specifically, the portal notes that reports made after 30 days still help in proactively finding spammers, even though they are not investigated as individual complaints.
 +
 +==== Will the number be blocked on my phone automatically? ====
 +
 +No. Reporting on Chakshu is a report to the department. Blocking the caller on your own handset is separate and you should do it yourself.
 +
 +==== I received a call showing an Indian number but the caller sounded foreign. What do I do? ====
 +
 +Use RICWIN at sancharsaathi.gov.in/InternationalCall/ReportIntCall.jsp, or report on 1963 or 1800-110-420. DoT has documented calls made from abroad that display Indian numbers through manipulation of the Calling Line Identity.
 +
 +==== Does reporting on Chakshu register a police complaint? ====
 +
 +No. It is not an FIR and it is not a police complaint. If you need a police record, file at cybercrime.gov.in or at your local cyber police station.
 +
 +==== Can I report on behalf of an elderly parent? ====
 +
 +Yes, practically speaking you can submit the report using the details of the communication they received. The OTP verification uses a mobile number you can access, so sit with them and use their handset where possible.
 +
 +==== Is there an app, or is it only the website? ====
 +
 +Both. The Sanchar Saathi app offers reporting from the handset, including from your call log. See [[:sanchar-saathi-app-2026|our guide to the Sanchar Saathi app]] for what it does and whether you need it.
 +
 +==== What if the same number keeps calling after I report? ====
 +
 +Report it again and block it on your handset. Repeat reports against the same number strengthen the case for disconnection at the operator's end.
 +
 +==== Should I also tell my bank? ====
 +
 +If the communication referenced your bank account, card or wallet, tell the bank through its official helpline, and never through a number given to you by the caller. If money has moved, that call is urgent.
 +
 +===== About this guide (E-E-A-T) =====
 +
 +<WRAP box>
 +**Expertise.** This guide is written by the RTI Wiki editorial team, drawing on the Sanchar Saathi portal's own module descriptions, the Telecommunications Act 2023, and Press Information Bureau statements issued by the Ministry of Communications.
 +
 +**Experience.** The reporting routes, the three Chakshu options, the 30 day window and the RICWIN form fields described here were read directly from the live Sanchar Saathi portal in August 2026. The alternative RICWIN reporting numbers 1963 and 1800-110-420 are listed on the portal's own RICWIN page.
 +
 +**Authoritativeness.** This is a citizen guidance page, not an official government page. The figures on spoofed call blocking are quoted from the Press Information Bureau release of 24 January 2025; the disconnection and IMEI figures from the release of 2 December 2025; and the app download and daily reporting figures from the release of 3 December 2025. RTI Wiki is an independent platform and does not represent any government department.
 +
 +**Trustworthiness.** This page was written and reviewed in August 2026. It does not collect any personal information. Enter your mobile number and OTP only on the official sancharsaathi.gov.in portal itself. If you find anything here out of date, please report it.
 +
 +**Last updated:** August 2026 | **Reviewed by:** RTI Wiki Editorial Team
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +===== Related guides =====
 +
 +  * [[:check-sim-misuse-tafcop-2026|Check SIM Misuse via TAFCOP on Sanchar Saathi]]
 +  * [[:sanchar-saathi-app-2026|Sanchar Saathi App: What It Does and Whether You Must Install It]]
 +  * [[:1930-helpline-cyber-fraud-script|1930 Helpline Cyber Fraud Script]]
 +  * [[:file-cybercrime-complaint-2026|File a Cybercrime Complaint]]
 +  * [[:block-lost-stolen-sim-card-india|Block a Lost or Stolen SIM Card]]
 +  * [[:whatsapp-otp-fraud-explained-india|WhatsApp OTP Fraud Explained]]
 +  * [[:digital-arrest-scam-india|Digital Arrest Scam India]]
 +  * [[:ai-voice-scam-recovery|AI Voice Scam Recovery]]
 +  * [[:trai-dnd-stop-spam-calls-sms-complaint-india|TRAI DND: Stop Spam Calls and SMS]]
 +  * [[:report-scam-call-number-2026|Report a Scam Call Number]]
 +  * [[:unknown-mobile-numbers-in-my-name-sanchar-saathi-tafcop|Unknown Mobile Numbers in My Name]]
 +  * [[:recover-money-upi-fraud-2026|Recover Money After UPI Fraud]]
 +  * [[:aeps-aadhaar-fraud-recovery|AePS Aadhaar Fraud Recovery]]
 +  * [[:which-regulator-to-complain-to-india-sebi-rbi-irdai-trai-dgca-hub|Which Regulator to Complain To]]
 +  * [[:write-effective-rti-application-2026|How to Write an Effective RTI Application]]
 +
 +Want to turn a report into a formal complaint, or use RTI to find out what action was actually taken? [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/book|The RTI Playbook]] walks you through the full process step by step.
 +
 +{{tag>2026 citizen-guide legal-finance consumer-rights india telecom-fraud chakshu sanchar-saathi cybercrime spam-calls ricwin identity-theft}}
 +
 +===== Related on RTI Wiki =====
 +  * [[:trai-ai-spam-detection-block-without-complaint-2026|TRAI AI spam detection and blocking 2026]]
 +  * [[:trai-sms-template-variable-tagging-anti-phishing-2026|TRAI SMS template variable tagging anti-phishing 2026]]
 +  * [[:whatsapp-telegram-sim-binding-rule-india-2026|WhatsApp-Telegram SIM binding rule India 2026]]
 +  * [[:used-phone-imei-database-check-telecom-cyber-security-rules-2025|Used phone IMEI database check 2025]]
 +  * [[:sim-swap-fraud-telecom-not-their-fault-india|SIM swap fraud where telecom is not at fault]]
  
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