TRAI Mandates '1600' Series for BFSI and SEBI Calls to Enhance Security and Identify Legitimate Financial Institutions

Overview

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has set deadlines for entities in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) and SEBI-regulated sectors to adopt the '1600' numbering series for service and transactional calls. This directive aims to help citizens clearly identify legitimate calls from financial institutions and combat spam and fraudulent communications. Phased implementation begins January 1, 2026, for RBI-regulated entities and February 15, 2024, for SEBI-regulated entities.