A call shows an ordinary +91 mobile number, but the person speaking may actually be sitting in another country. You can report such a call on the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) Sanchar Saathi portal, which has a separate option for incoming international calls that display an Indian number. It takes a few minutes and needs only the number shown, the date and time of the call, and your own mobile number for an OTP check.

This guide explains why fraudsters disguise foreign calls as Indian numbers, how to recognise them and how to file the report step by step. It also covers what to do if you already spoke to the caller or shared any details.

Why Scammers Make Foreign Calls Look Like Indian Numbers

Caller ID spoofing is a trick that changes the number shown on your screen. Fraud groups based outside India route calls over the internet and make them appear to come from a local +91 mobile number.

They do this for three simple reasons:

• Trust. People are far more likely to answer a familiar-looking Indian number than a call showing a foreign country code.
• Hiding. The real caller is abroad, so the number on your screen often belongs to someone else or to nobody at all.
• Impersonation. A local number makes it easier to pretend to be a bank, courier company, police officer or telecom official.

DoT and the telecom operators use a system to detect and block incoming international calls that display Indian mobile numbers. Many such calls are stopped before they reach you, but some still get through. Your reports help the authorities find the routes that fraudsters keep using.

Signs a +91 Call May Actually Be From Abroad

You cannot confirm a spoofed call just by looking at the number. Watch the caller’s behaviour instead. Be suspicious if the caller:

• Claims to be from TRAI, DoT, the police, CBI, customs or a courier company and threatens to disconnect your number or arrest you.
• Says a parcel in your name contains illegal items, or that your Aadhaar is linked to a crime.
• Asks you to switch to a video call, stay on the line for hours, or keep the call secret from family.
• Pushes you to pay a “verification” amount, share an OTP, install an app or share your screen.
• Has a delayed or echoing line, although poor audio alone proves nothing.

How to Report an International Call With Indian Number on Sanchar Saathi

Before you begin, keep these details ready:

• The Indian number that appeared on your screen. Take a screenshot of your call log.
• The date and approximate time of the call.
• Your own mobile number, which will receive an OTP for verification.

Then follow these steps. Labels on the portal can change slightly over time, but the flow is usually similar.

1. Open the Sanchar Saathi portal in your phone or computer browser. You can also use the official Sanchar Saathi app if you have it.
2. Find the Citizen Centric Services section. On a phone, it may sit inside the menu (☰).
3. Choose the option for reporting an incoming international call with an Indian number.
4. Enter the Indian number that was displayed during the call.
5. Select the date and time of the call as closely as you can.
6. Enter your own mobile number and the captcha, then request the OTP.
7. Type the OTP you receive into the portal yourself, and submit the report.
8. Save or screenshot any confirmation message shown on screen.

Report the call while the details are fresh, because the exact time helps match your report with call records.

Where to Report Other Suspicious Calls

The international call option is for one specific problem. Other situations have their own channels:

Chakshu accepts reports of suspected fraud calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages. You pick the medium and fraud type, enter the number and time, describe what happened and verify with an OTP.

What to Do If You Already Spoke to the Caller

If the call went further than a quick hang-up, act in this order:

1. End the call and do not call the number back.
2. Call your bank’s official helpline from a number printed on your card or passbook if you shared card details, an OTP or a UPI PIN. Ask them to block cards, UPI or net banking as needed.
3. Call 1930 at once if any money left your account. Quick reporting gives the best chance of stopping the transfer.
4. File a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in with screenshots, numbers and transaction details.
5. Uninstall any app the caller asked you to install, especially screen-sharing or remote-access apps.
6. Change passwords for email and banking, and report the number on Sanchar Saathi.

How to Protect Yourself From Spoofed Calls

A few habits make these calls far less dangerous:

• Don’t trust caller ID alone. A familiar-looking number is not proof of who is calling.
• Verify independently. If someone claims to be from your bank or a courier company, hang up and call the official number from their website or your card.
• Never share OTPs, PINs or passwords on a call, whoever the caller claims to be.
• Turn on spam protection in your phone’s dialler app, and keep DND active so that unusual calls stand out.

Final Thoughts

A +91 number on your screen does not guarantee that the caller is in India. If a call feels wrong, especially one with threats, urgency or requests for OTPs, hang up. Note the number and time, report it on Sanchar Saathi, and use 1930 straight away if any money is involved.