Scam Alert • 3 min read

The "Network Glitch" Scam: Why *21# is Dangerous

They call pretending to be Jio or Airtel support and ask you to dial *401#. You just handed over your WhatsApp account.

The Call: "Hello, I am calling from Airtel Support. We noticed a network issue on your SIM. To fix it, please dial *401*98XXXXXX#."

You dial it. The call disconnects. Your network seems fine. But a few minutes later, your WhatsApp is logged out.

What Just Happened?

*401* or *21* is the universal code to activate Call Forwarding.

By dialing that code with the scammer's number, you forwarded all your incoming calls to them.

Now, they log into your WhatsApp. WhatsApp sends a voice call for OTP verification. The call goes to the scammer. They enter the OTP and own your account.

RakshaLink's Active Monitor

RakshaLink actively checks your phone's Call Forwarding status in the background.

If it detects that call forwarding is active (especially unconditional forwarding), it triggers a loud alert:

"⚠️ CALL FORWARDING DETECTED: All your calls are being redirected to +91 98XXX. Dial ##002# to disable immediately."