The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has developed a Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI), a risk-based metric classifying mobile numbers based on their association with financial fraud risk (Medium, High, or Very High). This initiative, part of the Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) project, empowers financial stakeholders like banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), and Unified Payment Interface (UPI) service providers to prioritize enforcement and enhance customer protection. The FRI is accessible through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP).
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has advised banks and Payment Service Operators (PSOs) to integrate the FRI into their systems and implement real-time response protocols. Action Taken Reports (ATRs) submitted on the DIP indicate that 34 banks, financial institutions, and UPI service providers have frozen 1.002 million bank accounts and payment wallets, and placed debit/credit restrictions on 305,000 bank accounts and payment wallets.
The DIU project, with a total outlay of Rs 228.16 crore over five years, aims to curb the misuse of telecom resources for cybercrime and financial fraud. The DIP and FRI are key components developed under the DIU project. This information was provided by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar.
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Telecommunications: The government department (DoT) that developed the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) and the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP).
Financial Fraud Risk Indicator: A risk-based metric (FRI) developed by the Department of Telecommunications to classify the risk of financial fraud associated with a mobile number.
Digital Intelligence Platform: A platform (DIP) that provides stakeholders with access to the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI).
Reserve Bank of India: The central bank of India (RBI) that issued advisories to banks and Payment Service Operators (PSO) for integrating FRI.
Payment Service Operators: Entities (PSO) that were advised by the RBI to integrate FRI with their systems.
Digital Intelligence Unit: A project (DIU) of the Department of Telecommunications aimed at curbing misuse of telecom resources for cybercrime and financial frauds.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where a question was answered regarding the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator.
Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar: Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development who provided information regarding FRI in a written reply.
Ministry of Communications
Fraud Risk Indicator
Posted On: 06 AUG 2025 4:33PM by PIB Delhi
Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has developed Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) which is a
risk-based metric that classifies a mobile number to have been associated with Medium, High, or Very High
risk of financial fraud. FRI empowers stakeholders-especially banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies
(NBFCs) and Unified Payment Interface (UPI) service providers to prioritize enforcement and take additional
customer protection measures in case a mobile number has high risk. FRI is available through Digital
Intelligence Platform (DIP) to the stakeholders.
RBI has issued separate advisories to banks & Payment Service Operators (PSO) for integration of FRI with
their respective systems and adopt necessary real-time response protocols (like alerts, transaction delays,
warnings, transaction decline etc.). Based on the Action Taken Reports (ATRs) submitted on DIP, 34 banks,
financial institutions and UPI service providers have frozen 10.02 lakh bank accounts/ payment wallets and
placed debit/ credit restrictions on 3.05 lakh bank accounts/ payment wallets.
Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) project of DoT has various constituents for curbing misuse of telecom
resources for cybercrime and financial frauds. DIU project of DoT is having total outlay of Rs 228.16 crore
for a period of 5 years. DIP and FRI are developed under DIU project.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Dr.
Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
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Samrat/Allen
(Release ID: 2153065)