In the growing world of cybercrime, a single SIM card could be the difference between safety and fraud.
The Union government has informed the Supreme Court that linking messaging apps like WhatsApp to active SIM cards could help stop “digital arrest” scams — a fast-growing type of fraud where victims are threatened with fake legal action and pressured to send money.
What Are Digital Arrest Scams?
These scams usually involve fraudsters pretending to be government or law-enforcement officials.
Victims receive messages or calls claiming they are under investigation and are forced to transfer money to avoid arrest or prosecution.
The government highlighted that cybercriminals often use cloned, deactivated, or foreign SIM cards to impersonate officials.
By binding a WhatsApp account to the registered SIM card, such impersonation becomes much harder.
In addition, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has started blocking international calls that appear to come from Indian numbers — a technique often used in these scams.
Early reports suggest this step has already reduced the number of fraudulent calls.
SIM-Binding: Balancing Security and Convenience
The proposed SIM-binding framework means a messaging account must always stay linked to the SIM card in the device where it’s active.
This limits fraudsters from operating accounts remotely or across multiple devices without being detected.
While some users have raised concerns about convenience and implementation challenges, the government emphasizes that the measure is necessary to protect citizens from sophisticated cyber fraud.
The Supreme Court is currently reviewing these proposals, coordinating with agencies like the Ministry of Home Affairs and DoT to create standard procedures for preventing scams, tracing offenders, and helping victims.
Why It Matters
As cybercrime becomes more advanced, measures like SIM-binding and blocking spoofed international calls aim to restore trust in digital communication.
The government believes that these steps strike a balance between user privacy and the urgent need to prevent large-scale financial fraud.
Quick Summary
The Union government told the Supreme Court that linking WhatsApp accounts to active SIM cards can reduce “digital arrest” scams, where fraudsters impersonate officials to extort money.
Coupled with blocking spoofed international calls, this measure strengthens cybersecurity while balancing privacy and user convenience.
