The prevalence of fake SMS messages and calls is a major concern in the current digital environment. Many individuals are tricked by these deceptive communications, which can lead to financial losses. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving their methods, making it difficult to identify genuine and fake messages. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has taken action to address this issue by implementing new rules to help users distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent SMS messages.
Fraudsters often send fake messages disguised as coming from banks, government entities, telecom providers, or e-commerce businesses. These messages frequently contain links that, when clicked, can infect your phone with malware or viruses. This malware can steal your personal information, banking credentials, and passwords, which can be used to steal money from your accounts.
To help users, TRAI has implemented a system for identifying SMS messages. Authentic messages now include a sender ID with a suffix:
* **S**: Denotes messages related to banking, telecom services, or transactions.
* **G**: Used for messages regarding government schemes or alerts.
* **P**: Indicates promotional messages sent by companies approved by TRAI.
By understanding these codes, you can promptly determine if an SMS message is genuine. If a message lacks these codes or contains suspicious links, it’s advisable to avoid clicking on it.