OTP to recharge cellphones

Amid reports that shopkeepers sell mobile number of young girls who come to recharge their phones, telecom operators are rolling out a new system to preserve privacy of their subscribers.

Under the plan, a person need not give his or her mobile number to the shopkeeper for recharge. Customers need to send an SMS to a specific number and they will get a code, a one-time password. Instead of sharing the phone number, customers can share this unique code with the retailer to recharge their mobile number. This code will be valid for 24 hours.

Amid reports that shopkeepers sell mobile number of young girls who come to recharge their phones, telecom operators are rolling out a new system, like an one time password to preserve privacy of their subscribers.

Telecom operators have started this service in some select circles.

Idea Cellular has started this service in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa and Haryana. Both prepaid and postpaid Idea customers can use this facility to recharge their phones and pay mobile bills.

Vodafone has launched a similar service in West Bengal, Dehradun, Saharanpur and Firozabad in UP (West) and Uttarakhand.

Bharti Airtel too is planning to launch this service, said sources.

The service is being launched when there are concerns that when girls recharge their mobile phones with vendors, their personal numbers in some case get leaked to miscreants. There have been reports in many states including UP that mobile numbers of young girls where on sale.

According to some media reports, mobile phone numbers of young women were being sold in Uttar Pradesh by recharge outlets depending on their age and looks. The reports claimed that numbers are sold starting from `50 for “ordinary looking” girl, and ranges till `500 for girls who are considered “beautiful”.