The Whitefield Division Cyber Crime Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons for allegedly circulating fraudulent SMS messages in the name of a Bengaluru-based technology firm, triggering a major disruption in its communication systems.

According to the complaint filed by an authorised representative of the company, they began receiving alerts from its buyers on April 23 about fake messages appearing to originate from the company. The fraudulent SMS reportedly promised a credit of ₹10,001 and carried shortened links directing recipients to an external website. Preliminary findings indicate that the links redirected users to an alleged online betting platform, raising concerns of a wider cyber fraud targeting the public.

The company, which is registered on the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) platform regulated by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, stated that only pre-approved templates and whitelisted links can be sent through its registered sender ID. The company has denied sending any such messages.

On April 27, the DLT system blacklisted the company’s SMS templates, citing misuse, followed by the suspension of its sender ID. Telecom operators subsequently blocked all outgoing messages from the company, including OTPs and transaction alerts. By evening, the firm’s entire DLT account was suspended after complaints were registered on TRAI’s Chakshu platform, the complaint said.

As a result, all SMS-based services of the company have remained non-functional since April 27, affecting customer communication and business operations, it claimed. The firm has reported significant financial losses and reputational damage, with thousands of users receiving fraudulent messages and at least 13 victims identified so far.

Police said the case involves suspected spoofing and misuse of a government-regulated telecom framework. Investigators are working to trace the origin of the messages and identify those responsible.

This is a premium article, available exclusively to subscribers.

The Hindu delivers independent, credible journalism that explains events with depth, context, and perspective.

to read unlimited content from The Hindu

SUBSCRIBE NOW