NEW DELHI, March 18: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has entered into a partnership with WhatsApp to bolster efforts in combating digital frauds and cyber threats. On Monday, the collaboration was announced to extend Meta’s ongoing safety campaign, ‘Scam Se Bacho,’ aimed at protecting citizens from online scams and spam.

Under this initiative, the DoT and WhatsApp will work together to educate the public on how to identify and report suspicious fraudulent communications, thereby enhancing digital safety and awareness across India. One key component of the initiative includes train-the-trainer workshops aimed at DoT officials, Sanchar Mitras, Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), and field units, furthering their capacity to address online scams.

WhatsApp will also partner with DoT to integrate services from the Sanchar Saathi initiative into the WhatsApp platform, expanding its reach and ensuring more citizens benefit from safety resources. Joel Kaplan, Chief Global Affairs Officer at Meta, met with Union Minister of Communications and Development of the North East Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, to discuss the ongoing collaboration between the Department of Telecommunications and Meta, focusing on improving safety protocols and making citizens more aware of potential online risks.

WhatsApp is also cooperating with DoT’s Digital Intelligence Unit, utilizing information provided through the Department’s Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) to proactively combat cybercrime and financial fraud, specifically targeting the misuse of telecom resources.

“The best way to prevent people from falling victim to scams and online fraud is to ensure they know what to look out for and how to stay safe,” said Kaplan. “By working with the Department of Telecommunications, we can combine our technological expertise with the government’s commitment to citizen safety and equip Indians with the knowledge they need to stay protected,” he added.

Minister Scindia highlighted that ensuring the safety and security of citizens in the midst of India’s digital transformation remains a top priority for the government. “Our partnership with Meta strengthens this commitment to protect our people from fraudulent communications and cyber threats. By leveraging WhatsApp’s vast digital reach, we are reinforcing efforts to ensure that our digital ecosystem remains secure and resilient for all,” the minister stated.

In addition to educational workshops, WhatsApp will also produce safety materials in multiple regional languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Gujarati, ensuring that all user safety materials are accessible to a wide range of Indian citizens.