Last updated on January 22nd, 2024 at 08:23 am
In the era of advanced communication technology, our phones have become an integral part of our daily lives. Unfortunately, with the convenience of call forwarding comes the risk of misuse by fraudsters. Call forwarding fraud is a growing concern, where malicious actors exploit this feature to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or conduct fraudulent activities. In this blog post, we will explore the risks associated with call forwarding and provide practical tips on how to safeguard yourself from falling victim to such scams.
Understanding Call Forwarding Fraud
Call forwarding is a useful feature that allows users to redirect incoming calls from one phone number to another. While this feature is designed to enhance accessibility and convenience, fraudsters can exploit it for their malicious purposes. Common tactics involve forwarding calls and SMS to unauthorized numbers, enabling criminals to intercept sensitive information like authentication codes or engage in identity theft.
Fraudsters can nowadays employ various tactics to misuse call forward facilities and divert calls and SMS for scams. Understanding these techniques is essential for staying vigilant and protecting yourself from falling victim to such fraudulent activities. Out of various tactics, one is more common which is social engineering
Fraudsters often use social engineering techniques to trick individuals into providing sensitive information. They may impersonate trusted entities, such as your mobile service provider or a financial institution, and convince you to dial a specific code like *401* for call forwarding but this code is applicable for Jio mobile numbers only. There are different codes for other mobile operators.
Here is a list of codes used for activation of the call forwarding facility and how to use it and deactivation codes.
| TSP | CALL FORWARDING Code | RESULT | Deactivation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jio | *401*<10 digit number> | Forwards each and every incoming call | Deactivate call forwarding for all incoming calls – *402 |
| *405*<10 digit number> | Forwards calls when you’re busy on another call | Deactivate call forwarding for busy calls – *406 | |
| *403*<10 digit number> | Forwards calls when the other person has called several times already | Deactivate call forwarding for non-answerable calls – *404 | |
| *409*<10 digit number> | Forwards calls when your phone is switched off or unreachable due to low bad signal strength | Deactivate call forwarding for unreachable calls – *410 | |
| Airtel, Vi and BSNL | **21*<10 digit number># | Forwards each and every incoming call | Deactivate call forwarding for all incoming calls – ##21# |
| **67*<10 digit number># | Forwards calls when you’re busy on another call | Deactivate call forwarding for busy calls – ##67# | |
| **61*<10 digit number>*#(multiples of fives) | Forwards calls when the call isn’t picked up after a certain time limit | Deactivate call forwarding for non-answerable calls – ##61# | |
| **62*<10 digit number># | Forwards calls when your phone is switched off or unreachable due to low bad signal strength | Deactivate call forwarding for unreachable calls – ##62# |
While call forwarding is a valuable feature that enhances communication convenience, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential risks associated with its misuse. You can significantly reduce the likelihood of falling victim to call forwarding fraud by regularly monitoring your accounts, use strong PINs and passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and be cautious about sharing personal information, especially in response to unsolicited messages or calls. Staying informed about the latest scams and practicing cybersecurity hygiene will significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to call forwarding fraud. Stay vigilant, protect your personal information, and contribute to creating a safer digital communication environment for everyone.
How to enable call forwarding on Airtel, Vi, Jio, and BSNL without codes
Enabling call forwarding on your smartphone may vary slightly depending on the make and model of your device. However, the general steps for enabling call forwarding on Android and iOS devices are provided below. Note that the steps may differ slightly on different versions of Android and iOS.
- Open the ‘Settings’ app on your Android/iOS device.
- Scroll down and select ‘Connections’ or ‘Network & Internet,’ or ‘Mobile Network’ depending on your device.
- Look for and select ‘Call settings’ or ‘Call’ in the menu.
- Choose ‘Call forwarding’ or a similar option.
- Select ‘Voice call’ or ‘Always forward’ based on your preference.
- Enter the phone number where you want to forward calls.
- Save or enable call forwarding.
