The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and the Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (TAIPA) are warning the public against the fake mobile tower installation that’s been going on in the country. The fraudsters are approaching the general public and asking them to allow the installation of mobile towers on their premises.
These are certain companies and individuals who genuinely approach the public and take their permission to install fake mobile towers in their homes. For doing the same, the fraudsters are also asking for a deposit from the home or premises owners for tax purposes in the name of leasing the property. To make it seem legitimate, the fraudsters are also offering users a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) for the installation of the towers.
Only TSPs or IPs Install Mobile Towers in India
The public should be aware that only the telecom service providers (TSPs) or the Infrastructure Providers (IPs) install mobile towers in India. To verify if the installation is legit, the public is advised to visit the official website of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which contains and updates all the information related to the mobile tower installations in India.
Either telcos such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, or Reliance Jio will be installing the telecom towers, or it will be done by an authorised telecom infrastructure provider. If an individual or company other than the telcos or the authorised bodies come to you for mobile tower installation, please turn down their offer and report them at the earliest. Ensure that you always verify the people that come to you for such purposes by going to the telecom department’s website.
Both TAIPA and COAI have been sending out messages to aware people of the frauds that have been taking place in India. Just a few days back, COAI issued a caution notice asking the public not to click on links offering free mobile recharge packs. The link was generated and shared first by fraudsters in order to collect the personal data of the users. Users are advised not to click on such links and also not forward them to other people. You should always caution the person who sent such a link to you and delete it at the moment you receive it.
