As soon as the OTP arrives on the phone, many people proceed by looking at the code that appears in the notification instead of reading the entire message. But your haste can sometimes lead to online fraud. Considering this problem, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India i.e. TRAI is preparing to change the rules related to OTP messages.
The scheme aims to help people understand OTP related information easily, so that they can differentiate between genuine messages and fraudulent messages. However, it will be important to know the final rules about what changes will be made in the new system and when they will be implemented.
How will the OTP appear on the phone?
Now when the OTP arrives on your phone, its code sometimes appears on the notification bar or lock screen. In such a case, if someone is standing nearby and watching your screen, they can know the code. Under the proposed change, instead of showing the OTP directly on the notification or lock screen, you will have to open the Messages app to see it. Only after this the code can be seen inside the message. This can make it difficult for others to see the OTP from your screen.
Along with this, TRAI is also considering making the OTP sending mechanism cleaner and more uniform. Under this a fixed format can be created for messages from banks, e-commerce companies and other digital platforms.
This format will clearly state the purpose for which the OTP is sent. For example, the code is used to login to an account, make a payment, or for any other purpose. Company name and information about how long the OTP can be used can also be given in the message.
Why is this change necessary?
The cases of online fraud are increasing continuously in the country. According to data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, around 2.62 lakh complaints related to online fraud were registered in the year 2021. By the year 2025, their number will increase to more than 24.02 lakh. The money of those caught in the scam has also increased rapidly. In the year 2021, this amount was around Rs 551 crore, which has increased to Rs 22,495 crore in the year 2025.
Note that these figures pertain to all types of online fraud, not just OTP fraud. Fraudsters often call people posing as bank employees or company officials. They ask for OTP on some pretext and people say the code without reading the message. After this money can be withdrawn from their bank account.
Will the new system prevent fraud?
Changing the way you view OTPs and read messages can help people stay alert. But this change alone will not completely eliminate online fraud. Fraudsters can adopt new methods and target people through apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.
So, when the OTP comes, read the entire message and see what purpose it comes from. If you haven’t made any payment, even if the OTP comes from the bank, then don’t share it with anyone and check your account.
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