New Delhi/ Chandigarh/Shimla December 17, 2025:
In a move to check the surge in spam and fraudulent calls, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has directed insurance companies to shift their service and transactional calls to the ‘1600’ numbering series.
The Direction was issued on December 16, 2025, in consultation with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). All IRDAI-regulated entities must comply by February 15, 2026.
The decision comes against the backdrop of a sharp rise in fake calls where fraudsters impersonate banks and insurance companies to dupe consumers. Such calls, often made from regular 10-digit mobile numbers, have led to financial losses and growing mistrust among citizens.
TRAI said the move aims to enhance consumer trust, curb spam, and prevent telecom-enabled fraud by allowing people to easily recognise genuine calls from regulated financial entities.
Calls originating from the 1600 series will act as a clear identifier for service and transactional communication from legitimate institutions.
The 1600 numbering series has been assigned by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for exclusive use by entities in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector and government organisations. This will help distinguish official calls from other commercial or promotional communications.
After assigning the series and allocating numbering resources to Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), TRAI has held regular consultations with TSPs and BFSI sector regulators to encourage adoption. As a result, around 570 entities have already migrated to the 1600 series, collectively subscribing to more than 3,000 numbers.
Based on feedback from stakeholders, TRAI observed that the ecosystem is now ready for time-bound implementation. The regulator noted that continued use of ordinary 10-digit numbers by financial entities increases the risk of fraud, as scammers often exploit such numbers to pose as trusted institutions.
The timelines were finalised after deliberations with IRDAI during meetings of the Joint Committee of Regulators (JCoR). Similar mandates have already been issued for entities regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
Consumer groups have welcomed the decision, calling it a timely measure to track and curb mushrooming fake calls. While experts say the move will not eliminate fraud entirely, they believe it will significantly improve call traceability and help consumers make safer decisions.
With the February 2026 deadline approaching, TRAI has urged insurance companies and intermediaries to complete the transition at the earliest, marking another important step in India’s fight against spam and financial fraud.
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