Banks May Soon Get Unique Helpline Numbers With Incoming Call Support To Prevent Frauds

Banks in India may soon be assigned unique national helpline numbers with incoming call capabilities, a move aimed at strengthening customer trust and reducing phone-based fraud, as per a report by The Economic Times.

Currently, most banks operate through multiple outbound-only numbers under the “1600xx” series, which do not support incoming calls from customers. However, the proposed change will allow banks to use dedicated national helpline numbers within the same 1600xx series but with two-way calling functionality.

“A national number for each bank, and also allowing inbound calls to such numbers, would further enhance customer security and experience,” an industry executive told The Economic Times.

The new system is expected to help customers verify the authenticity of bank calls and reduce the growing number of phishing and scam attempts. Discussions have already been held with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the government. Industry players remain hopeful that the approval for this initiative will come soon.

Another concern raised by banks pertains to debt recovery calls. Many banks outsource their collection and recovery processes, and there is ambiguity about whether third-party agencies will also need to use the same 1600xx national numbers for compliance.

Executives have reportedly reached out to both RBI and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for clearer guidelines on the use of these numbers. Banks are also seeking exemptions for customers who have already provided consent to be contacted, especially regarding recovery calls.

The proposed changes are expected to not only streamline communication but also serve as a critical step in protecting customers from fraudulent callers posing as bank representatives.