A woman in Karnataka checked one government portal out of curiosity and discovered five SIM cards active in her name — she had applied for only two. Three were flagged through a specific reporting option, triggering operator-level investigation, and those connections were disconnected.
TAFCOP (Telecom Analytics for Fraud Management and Consumer Protection) — a Department of Telecommunications (DoT) service that has been merged into the Sanchar Saathi portal. It lets any mobile subscriber see every connection currently registered in their name across all Indian telecom operators, and take action on ones they don’t recognise.
Current Official Portal: tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in (the older tafcop.dgtelecom.gov.in domain is outdated — DoT officially merged TAFCOP’s functions into Sanchar Saathi)
Quick Answer: Check your connections: tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in → enter your 10-digit mobile number → Request OTP → enter OTP → view full list Found an unrecognised number? Select “This is not my number” — not “Not Required” — to trigger a fraud investigation Limit: Most subscribers are permitted up to 9 connections in their name; exceeding this without your knowledge is a red flag Report fraud calls/SMS/WhatsApp separately: Use Chakshu at sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/
⭐ TAFCOP Merged Into Sanchar Saathi
DoT officially merged TAFCOP’s features into the broader Sanchar Saathi platform. If you’re using an old bookmark for tafcop.dgtelecom.gov.in, switch to tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in directly. Sanchar Saathi now bundles three related tools under one platform:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| TAFCOP | Check mobile connections registered in your name |
| CEIR | Block a lost/stolen phone using its IMEI number |
| Chakshu | Report suspected fraud calls, SMS, or WhatsApp messages |
Checking Your Connections — Step by Step
Step 1: Visit tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in
Step 2: Enter your 10-digit mobile number — use a number currently active and registered in your name
Step 3: Click “Request OTP”
Step 4: Enter the OTP received within seconds
Step 5: Your dashboard displays every mobile connection registered under the identity linked to that number, with a total count at the top
⭐ Three Action Options — Don’t Confuse Them
This distinction matters and is commonly misunderstood:
| Action | When to Use |
|---|---|
| Required | The number is yours and you want to keep it — no action needed (default) |
| Not Required | You acknowledge the number is/was yours (e.g., an old family SIM) but want it closed voluntarily |
| This is not my number | You did NOT authorise this connection — this triggers a deeper operator-level fraud investigation |
“Not Required” is for voluntary closure of a connection you recognise. “This is not my number” is specifically for unauthorised connections — using the wrong option can mean a genuinely fraudulent SIM doesn’t get properly investigated.
⭐ Chakshu — Reporting Fraud Calls, SMS, WhatsApp Messages
A separate but related tool on the same Sanchar Saathi platform: Chakshu, specifically for reporting suspected fraud communications impersonating banks, DoT, TRAI, or other officials.
Step 1: Visit sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/
Step 2: Report a call, SMS, or WhatsApp message received within the last 30 days
Step 3: Provide details of the suspicious communication
Reported impact (as of February 2026, per government statement in Rajya Sabha): Over 7.7 lakh suspected fraud communications reported via Chakshu since launch, leading to 39.43 lakh mobile connections disconnected, 2.27 lakh handsets blacklisted, and 1.31 lakh fraudulent SMS templates blocked.
CEIR — Blocking a Lost or Stolen Phone
If your phone itself is lost or stolen (separate from the SIM/connection issue), use CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register), also accessible through Sanchar Saathi, to block the device by its IMEI number — rendering it unusable across all networks even if the SIM is swapped.
⭐ Sanchar Saathi App — Now Mandatory on New Smartphones
Per Department of Telecommunications guidelines, the Sanchar Saathi app comes pre-installed on all new smartphones sold in India, giving users immediate access to TAFCOP, CEIR, and Chakshu without needing to search for or download anything separately.
Common Problems + Fix
“OTP not arriving”: Confirm your mobile number is currently active. Wait a few minutes before requesting again, as the server can occasionally be slow during peak hours.
“Found unknown numbers — used ‘Not Required’ but nothing happened”: For genuinely unauthorised connections, use “This is not my number” instead — “Not Required” doesn’t trigger the same fraud investigation process.
“Old TAFCOP link (tafcop.dgtelecom.gov.in) not working properly”: This domain is outdated. Use tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in directly going forward.
“Received a suspicious call/SMS claiming to be from DoT or my bank”: Report it through Chakshu at sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/, separate from the TAFCOP connection-check tool — Chakshu specifically handles fraud communication reports.
“Phone lost/stolen — different issue from SIM fraud”: Use CEIR on the same Sanchar Saathi platform to block the device by IMEI, separate from any TAFCOP SIM-related action.
“Worried about fake TAFCOP websites”: Only tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in is official. Sites with similar names asking for your Aadhaar number directly, or asking you to share your OTP with anyone, are fraudulent — TAFCOP only ever sends an OTP to your own number for you to enter yourself.
FAQ
What happened to the old TAFCOP website? It was merged into the Sanchar Saathi portal. Use tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in as the current official address.
How many SIM connections am I normally allowed? Most individual subscribers are permitted up to 9 connections in their name; exceeding this without your knowledge is a strong signal of possible identity misuse.
What’s the difference between “Not Required” and “This is not my number”? “Not Required” is for voluntarily closing a connection you recognise as yours. “This is not my number” is specifically for connections you never authorised — this triggers a deeper fraud investigation by the operator.
What is Chakshu and how is it different from TAFCOP? Chakshu is for reporting suspected fraud calls, SMS, or WhatsApp messages (within the last 30 days). TAFCOP is specifically for checking and managing mobile connections registered in your name.
Is the Sanchar Saathi app mandatory? It’s now required to come pre-installed on all new smartphones sold in India, per DoT guidelines.
Is checking my connections on TAFCOP free? Yes — completely free, requiring only OTP verification, no payment of any kind.
Official Links
| Purpose | Link |
|---|---|
| TAFCOP (Check Connections) | tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in |
| Chakshu (Report Fraud Communication) | sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/ |
| Sanchar Saathi (Main Portal) | sancharsaathi.gov.in |
| CEIR (Block Lost/Stolen Phone) | Accessible via Sanchar Saathi |
The Karnataka woman’s discovery — three unauthorised SIMs disconnected after she used the correct “This is not my number” option rather than simply closing them as “Not Required” — shows why understanding this specific distinction matters more than just checking the list itself.
Check tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in periodically for any connections registered under your identity that you don’t recognise, and use “This is not my number” specifically for genuinely unauthorised SIMs rather than the voluntary-closure option.
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