Call Forwarding Code Scam by SMS

How it looks by SMS, the red flags and what to do.

A text message is the cheapest way for a scammer to reach thousands of phones at once, and the sender name can look like a bank, a courier or a government office. Call Forwarding Code Scam is one of the ways this shows up: A caller asks you to dial a special code on your phone for a delivery or a refund. It forwards your calls and OTP voice calls to the scammer.

What call forwarding code scam looks like by SMS

• A sender name that resembles a bank, courier, tax or utility, or an ordinary mobile number.
• A very short message with a deadline such as "today" or "within 24 hours".
• A shortened or oddly spelled link that does not match the real website.

The scammer first makes a contact that gives them a reason to ask for something simple. A common one is a delivery call: the courier cannot find your address and asks you to dial a code so the system can capture your location. Another is a bank support call saying a refund needs 'activation'. The request is short and sounds technical, and the caller stays on the line while you do it.

Red flags to check on the text message

• A caller asks you to dial a code starting with star or hash.
• The code includes a mobile number you do not know.
• They stay on the line while you dial.
• They say it will only take a few seconds.
• The link domain is not the one you type yourself for that organisation.
• The message asks for an OTP, PIN, card number or password.

What to do

1. Do not dial codes read out by a caller.
2. To check forwarding, open your phone's call settings and look for call forwarding.
3. Turn off all forwarding you did not set up.
4. Open the official app or type the official website yourself to see if there is any real notice.
5. Paste the text into a scam checker (Safeavio Sentinel can check it) before you do anything else.
6. Report the sender on the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility) and block the number.

You can report suspicious SMS and calls on the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility) of the Department of Telecommunications.

If money or a code is already gone

1. Turn off call forwarding in settings straight away.
2. Call 1930 if any money moved or an account was accessed.
3. Change passwords for email and banking from a clean device.
4. File a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in with the time and number of the call.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Safeavio Sentinel's scam check reads text you paste, including a note of what a caller asked, and flags pressure to dial codes or share OTPs. The phone scan reviews risky settings and apps. It does not block calls or read your call forwarding by itself, so check that in your phone's own call settings. It cannot see what the caller did, so act quickly in settings and with your bank.

Full guide: Call Forwarding Code Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: phone call, WhatsApp.

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