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Got an SMS Saying Your Mobile Services Will Stop on January 7? It’s Spam

Got an SMS Saying Your Mobile Services Will Stop on January 7? It’s Spam

By Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 5 January 2018 19:26 IST

Highlights

The hoax SMS says users’ mobile services will stop on January 7
It also asks them to switch to "any other network"
Major telecom operators have said the message is spam

2018 has just started and there is already a hoax SMS doing the rounds, targeting telecom subscribers. The SMS misinforms telecom subscribers that voice services on their number will stop from January 7, and asks them to port their number to other networks. This message is being sent to users of all telecom operators and in various circles going by complaints from consumers on Twitter.

How to Buy a SIM Card in India

Interestingly, the message asks users to port their number to “any other network” by generating a UPC (Unique Porting Code), and does not name any particular operator they should port to. Irate customers targeted by the SMS have, unsurprisingly, taken to Twitter to get some answers around the matter.

Telecom companies such as Jio, Vodafone and Idea have started responding to customers’ queries around the SMS, denouncing the message as spam and asking users to ignore it. An Airtel representative also confirmed to Gadgets 360 that the message is spam. Tata Docomo and BSNL subscribers have received the message too, going by the tweets.

Please ignore and don't believe on such fake messages. We are always here to give you authentic updates - Devendra
— JioCare (@JioCare) January 5, 2018

This is a spam msg and has not been sent by Vodafone. We request you to ignore this msg & we assure you of continued uninterrupted services. - Harsha
— Vodafone India (@VodafoneIN) January 5, 2018

Sorry for trouble caused to you,We request you to please kindly ignore the message.
We have launched new postpaid plans (Nirvana) for our valuable customers.Write us back for further clarification.
Regards,
Simran.D
— Idea Customercare (@idea_cares) January 5, 2018

@TataDocomotseva what does this mean? Dear Customer, Voice services shall stop from 07/01/2018. Continue to use your number you can generate UPC to port in any other Network.
— Suhas Karanth (@_skaranth) January 5, 2018

@BSNLCorporate @TRAI @DoT_India @rsprasad #BewareFraud #MNPFraud #TRAI #BSNL
Don't be fooled. Beware you may get an SMS like this.
BW-INFOKB Dear Customer, Voice services shall stop from 07/01/2018. Continue to use your number you can generate UPC to port in any other Network.
— Mahendra G Prasad (@mahemys) January 5, 2018

While January 7 is a fake deadline, there is another deadline mobile users in India have approaching, that of linking their number to Aadhaar for SIM re-verification. Customers originally had till February 6, 2018 to complete the SIM re-verification, but the last date was later revised to March 31, 2018 for those who do not have an Aadhaar number yet by an order of a 5-judge bench of the Supreme Court. Aadhaar holders need to verify their SIM by February 6. Users originally had to go to retail stores run by the operators to complete the process, but now the Aadhaar-mobile number SIM re-verification can be done via IVR.

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