Know your PSTG: KP safety advice against SMS fraud
Times of India | 25 June 2025
Kolkata: Kolkata Police, via a Facebook post, has warned citizens not to fall victim to frauds via SMSes, simply by following the new TRAI regulations. TRAI launched a nationwide suffix-based classification system for SMSes, effective May 6, to help mobile users identify message types and combat spam. Under the new guidelines, all SMS headers will now carry specific suffix letters indicating their purpose: ‘P' for promotional content, ‘S' for service messages, ‘T' for financial transactional alerts, and ‘G' for govt-authorised communications. For example, explained cops, a message ending with ‘G' will be on, say, weather updates. An ‘S' will denote a service-related update like the last day of mobile recharge. A ‘T' would include those messages that relate to banking transactions. A message ending with ‘P' is likely to be an advertisement.
"Any message that does not contain any one of the four letters should immediately trigger an alert. In such cases, do not click on links and immediately block the sender," said the police. Cops plan to hold awareness camps in this regard across the city, especially for the elderly. "This implementation marks a crucial step toward transparent telecommunication practices and enhanced user experience," said a TRAI official. "The system will empower over 1. 1 billion mobile users to make informed decisions about their message interactions. ""This is a welcome move and will be helpful for everyone. We hope the police can spread this awareness even on the ground," said Sariful Islam, on KP Facebook. The regulatory body will monitor the implementation's effectiveness over the next six months and may introduce adjustments based on user feedback and market response.