Centre ends robocall campaign led by Amitabh Bachchan on cybercrimes

The robocall campaign was launched soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the matter of digital arrest scams during his Mann Ki Baat address in October 2024.

For months, millions of Indians heard the unmistakable baritone of Amitabh Bachchan every time they made a phone call, warning them about cybercrime and urging them to dial 1930 in case they fall prey to digital arrest scam.

Initially, a generic version of the robocall was launched for 90 days. This was later followed by a 60-day extension with Amitabh Bachchan’s voice (AFP)

But, as of June 25, the campaign has come to an end, officials aware of the matter said.

The campaign was launched by the Union home ministry’s Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) in collaboration with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The robocall campaign was launched soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the matter of digital arrest scams during his Mann Ki Baat address in October 2024.

An official who worked closely on the initiative told Hindustan Times that the government has ended the campaign as of June 25. While the initiative drew attention for its high-profile voiceover, it wasn’t without criticism. “We did receive some negative feedback, particularly about delays in emergency calls getting through,” the official cited above said, hinting that this was one of the reasons for not renewing the campaign further.

Initially, a generic version of the robocall was launched for 90 days. This was later followed by a 60-day extension with Bachchan’s voice. During the campaign, the robocall was rolled out in regional languages and aired 7-8 times a day by telecom providers.