India Disconnects 2 Crore Phone Numbers to Fight Cyber Slavery

Reports of Indian citizens being coerced into cybercrime and cryptocurrency fraud in Southeast Asia have prompted the government to enhance SIM card security checks and disconnect over 2 crore (20 million) mobile connections.

According to reports, roughly 29,000 Indians are presently detained in countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, compelled to commit cybercrimes involving cryptocurrency and identity theft.

Many of these people are duped under false pretenses, frequently by appealing employment offers with big compensation. Upon arrival, their passports and money are taken, thereby rendering them captives.

These victims, known as “cyberslaves,” are given customized phones that conceal their genuine whereabouts and seem to use Indian numbers. They are pressured into making calls to other Indians to scam them with schemes such as cryptocurrency scams, identity theft, pig butchering scams, and more. They are intimidated and assaulted if they do not cooperate.

Since January 2023, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) has received over 100,000 cybercrime reports, with Southeast Asia accounting for 45% of these incidents.

The Union Ministry of Telecommunications aims to deactivate nearly 21 million illegally acquired cellphone connections used in criminal operations.

To address the situation, the government is enacting stronger know-your-customer (KYC) laws for SIM cards. Telecom carriers must prevent inbound foreign calls that impersonate Indian numbers, as they make up a major share of international communications.

Many of the cyberslaves trapped in Southeast Asia originate from India, with over 33% coming from Punjab, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. The majority are young adults aged 20 to 39, and 72% of those reported missing are men.

Thailand is the primary destination, with around 69% of victims (approximately 20,450) believed to have traveled there and never returned, while another 5,000 Indians are thought to be stuck in Cambodia, and forced into cyber and cryptocurrency crimes​.

In response, India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has started blocking all international calls that spoof Indian numbers, successfully blocking 35% of such calls. Additionally, a high-level task force is improving immigration checks to identify potential victims before they leave India. Intelligence agencies are also collecting information on those already trapped and exploring further solutions​.