By J P GUPTA
New Delhi:In a major cybersecurity push, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) to combat rising cyber fraud in digital transactions. Integrated into the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP), FRI enables real-time intelligence sharing with banks, UPI platforms, and financial institutions.
The tool classifies mobile numbers as Medium, High, or Very High risk based on data from the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, DoT’s Chakshu, and inputs from banks. When flagged, these numbers trigger enhanced validation checks before any digital payment is processed.
UPI giants PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay—handling over 90% of UPI traffic—are among early adopters. PhonePe has already implemented transaction blocks and user alerts for numbers marked with Very High FRI. Other platforms have introduced delays and confirmations for suspect transactions.
FRI supports swift, coordinated action between telecom and financial sectors, potentially shielding millions from cyber scams. DoT says the initiative adds critical resilience to India’s rapidly expanding digital economy and aims to make such real-time alert systems industry standard.
