Fake customer care numbers on Google: how to find the real one

How the fake helpline trick works

People search for the customer care number of their bank, insurer, Aadhaar centre or an online shop. RBI says the numbers that come up often belong to fraudsters made to look like the company, and the person who answers asks for your card or account details “for verification”.

In October 2026 Kerala Police warned that callers on these numbers ask people to install remote access or screen-sharing apps to “resolve the complaint”, or to pay a small fee such as ₹5 for registration or verification, and then use that access to take larger sums.

How to find the real customer care number

1. Type the company's website address yourself, or open its official app, and use the contact page there.
2. Use the number printed on the back of your debit or credit card, your bill, passbook or account statement.
3. Check the number on Sanchar Saathi under Trusted Contact Details, which the Department of Telecommunications points people to for checking a bank's contact details.
4. For online orders, raise the issue inside the shopping or payment app instead of calling anyone.

RBI: customer care numbers are never in the form of mobile numbers. If “customer care” is a 10-digit mobile, stop.

Real helpline or fake one

What real customer care never asks for

Support staff do not need your OTP, UPI PIN, card PIN, CVV or passwords, and you never need to enter a PIN to receive a refund. RBI advises downloading a screen-sharing app only when told to through the company's official toll-free number, never because someone contacted you from a personal number.

Calls that the bank makes to you are also changing. RBI has told banks and other regulated entities to make service and transaction calls from numbers in the 1600 series, which TRAI made compulsory for commercial banks from 1 January 2026.

If it already happened

1. If you shared card or bank details or an OTP, call your bank on the number on your card and block the card, net banking and UPI.
2. If you installed an app they suggested, disconnect from the internet, uninstall it, and change your banking passwords and UPI PIN from another device.
3. Report the fake number on Chakshu at sancharsaathi.gov.in, and report the listing or post where you found it to the search engine or social media site.
4. Keep screenshots of the search result, call log and any payment you made.

• Call 1930The national cyber fraud helpline. Call within hours if money left your account.
• cybercrime.gov.inFile a complaint online and keep the acknowledgement number.
• Chakshu on Sanchar SaathiReport a fraud call, SMS or WhatsApp number.

Questions