Cyber fraud is on the rise in India. Hackers are constantly finding new ways to steal money or hack social media accounts.
One of the biggest tools criminals use is the OTP (One-Time Password).
Sharing a wrong OTP can give hackers access to your bank, phone, or social media accounts.
The problem gets worse when multiple OTPs arrive at the same time, making it hard for users to identify which ones are genuine.
To tackle this, TRAI has introduced a new system to help users quickly identify real and fake messages.
Unique Codes to Identify Genuine Messages
From now on, every SMS sent by companies must include a unique alphabetic code in the sender ID.
These codes help you determine whether the message is authentic.
The Three Codes
S-code – Transactional messages like OTPs for banks, UPI apps, and social media accounts.
Example: VK-ICICIS, BP-GPAY
P-code – Promotional messages about discounts, offers, or sales. Receiving an OTP in a P-code message is unusual and may be suspicious.
G-code – Government-related messages such as Aadhaar notifications, pensions, MNREGA updates, or other official portals.
How to Spot a Fraudulent SMS
According to TRAI, all genuine SMS messages must include one of these codes.
If a message does not contain S, P, or G, it may be from an unverified sender.
Never share the OTP from such messages.
Delete suspicious messages immediately to stay safe from fraud.
This simple system can protect users from scams and make online transactions safer.
