Chakshu, a citizen-facing facility under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), enables users to report suspected fraudulent communication received via phone call, SMS, or WhatsApp. These reports include attempts at impersonation, suspicious trading or KYC-related messages, and threats of service disconnection supposedly from banks, government departments, or police.

Citizens can proactively flag such messages to help authorities prevent misuse of telecom resources. However, it is not meant for reporting financial loss or cybercrime incidents already committed. In such cases, the public is advised to contact the cybercrime helpline 1930 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in.

Spam and unsolicited calls also covered

Chakshu also addresses complaints of unsolicited commercial communication (UCC) or spam through voice calls or SMS. These are messages that do not comply with the user’s registered preferences or prior consent, as per the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR), 2018.

Reports made within three days are treated as valid complaints and investigated by telecom service providers. Complaints lodged after this period are considered general reports, which may still aid in identifying spammers over time.

Part of broader citizen-focused digital security platform

Chakshu is integrated with the Sanchar Saathi portal (https://sancharsaathi.gov.in), where citizens can also access other services, including:

  • Viewing mobile connections issued in their name and requesting disconnection of unused or unauthorised numbers
  • Blocking and tracing lost or stolen handsets
  • Checking mobile handset authenticity when purchasing new or used devices
  • Reporting spoofed international calls appearing with Indian numbers
  • Verifying licensed wireline internet service providers

This integration makes Sanchar Saathi a single-window platform for telecom-related safety tools and citizen services.

DIP complements Chakshu for backend coordination

While Chakshu serves the public, the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) is designed for backend use. It facilitates secure coordination between telecom operators, law enforcement agencies, banks, financial institutions, and other relevant entities. DIP also acts as a data repository for inputs received from citizens through Sanchar Saathi, helping stakeholders act swiftly on reported threats.

DIP is not accessible to the general public but plays a vital role in responding to alerts raised through tools like Chakshu.