New Delhi: In a crucial step towards enhancing digital financial security, Google Pay has now integrated with the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI). This innovative tool is designed to flag mobile numbers that show a higher likelihood of being involved in financial scams, according to Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia. Telecom Secretary Neeraj Mittal confirmed to HT that Google successfully integrated its systems with the FRI on Thursday.
This development follows closely behind a previous report by HT on October 11, which highlighted that Google Pay (GPay), a dominant player handling approximately 30–35% of India’s UPI transactions, had not yet connected with the FRI, unlike its counterparts PhonePe and Paytm. At that time, Google had stated that FRI was already integrated into its systems, a claim that was later contradicted by senior DoT officials.
The integration process gained momentum after HT’s report. Subsequently, Google shared an “action taken report” indicating that the FRI has already helped save approximately ₹90 lakh in potential fraudulent transactions. Officials noted that Google had initially requested more time for integration but expedited the process once the matter garnered public attention.
The FRI, developed by the DoT, categorizes mobile numbers based on their risk level. This classification allows digital payment platforms to more effectively detect and block fraudulent transactions. Numbers flagged as medium-risk will prompt user warnings, while those identified as high or very high-risk may result in transaction blocks.
The DoT has previously shared that platforms like PhonePe and Paytm, through their integration with FRI, have collectively helped citizens avoid financial fraud losses totaling around ₹193 crore within just two months. As UPI continues to be the primary payment method across India, the DoT anticipates that the FRI will play a vital role in protecting millions from falling victim to cyber fraud, especially given the rising trend of cybersecurity incidents, which increased from 1.029 million in 2022 to 2.268 million in 2024.