Guides

How to Check if Call Forwarding Is On (Jio, Airtel, Vi, Android, iPhone) and Stop OTP Theft

By Ravindra Bagale, Cyber Security trainer · LinkedIn · Published: 16 October 2026 · Last updated: 17 October 2026

To check if call forwarding is on, dial *#21# and press call. Your phone shows whether "voice call forwarding" is enabled and to which number. To turn off all forwarding at once, dial ##002#. These codes work on Jio, Airtel and Vi, on Android and iPhone. If forwarding was switched on without your knowledge, a scammer may be receiving your calls and voice OTPs, so change your passwords and call your bank.

A live example first

Priya in Kolhapur gets a call: "Madam, this is from the courier company. Your parcel is stuck. To confirm delivery, please dial *401* and then this number." She dials it. Nothing seems to happen. That evening, her friends say her phone "goes to someone else" when they call. Her WhatsApp asks for verification on a new phone, and she never receives the code.

She checks:

Dial: *#21#

Call forwarding
Voice: Forwarded to +91 9XXXXXX123

Her calls are being forwarded. She fixes it:

Dial: ##002#

Erasure was successful

Then she checks again with *#21#, which now says Voice: Not forwarded. She sets a WhatsApp two-step PIN, changes her email password, calls her bank to check for any changes, and reports the number on Sanchar Saathi → Chakshu.

Friends, one innocent-looking code gave a stranger her calls. Now you know how to check in 10 seconds.

How does the scam work?

Call forwarding is a normal network feature: you can send your calls to another number when you are busy or away. Mobile networks turn it on with short codes. On some Indian networks, *401* followed by a number turns on unconditional forwarding. The scammer uses a story (courier, KYC, SIM upgrade, "network test") to get you to dial their number after that code. After that:

• Every call to you goes to them.
• Services that send OTPs by voice call ("call me instead") ring their phone.
• They can try to register your WhatsApp or other apps on their phone, choose "call me" for verification, and receive the code.

The Department of Telecommunications and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre have publicly warned people about this kind of "dial this code" fraud.

How do I check step by step?

Using codes (any phone, any GSM network)

1. Open the phone dialler.
2. Type *#21# and press call.
3. Read the result: "Not forwarded" or "Disabled" is good.
4. Repeat for *#61#, *#62# and *#67#.
5. If any shows a number you do not know, dial ##002#.
6. Dial *#21# again to confirm it is off.

On Android

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Tap the three dots → Settings → Calling accounts (or Supplementary services, depending on the brand).
3. Choose your SIM → Call forwarding.
4. Check all four options (Always, When busy, When unanswered, When unreachable).
5. Turn off any you did not set.

On a dual-SIM phone, check both SIMs.

On iPhone

1. Open Settings → Apps → Phone (on older iOS, Settings → Phone).
2. Tap Call Forwarding.
3. Make sure it is off.

The iPhone setting shows only unconditional forwarding, so also use the codes above.

Using your operator's app

• Jio: MyJio app → Settings → call settings, or call 198/199 customer care.
• Airtel: Airtel Thanks app, or call 121/198.
• Vi: Vi app, or call 199.

If forwarding was on without your knowledge

1. Dial ##002# and confirm with *#21#.
2. Set a two-step verification PIN in WhatsApp (Settings → Account → Two-step verification).
3. Change the passwords of your email and important apps, and turn on app-based MFA where possible.
4. Call your bank and check for new payees, changed mobile numbers or transactions.
5. If you lost money, call 1930 at once and file on cybercrime.gov.in (see our cyber fraud reporting guide).
6. Report the scam number on Sanchar Saathi → Chakshu.

Related checks while you are there

Real example

During 2024, several Indian state police cyber cells and newspapers reported the courier "dial *401*" call forwarding trick, and the DoT has repeatedly told citizens never to dial codes or numbers given by unknown callers. The pattern is always the same: a small, urgent request ("just dial this to confirm delivery") that seems harmless, followed by account takeover. The defence is just as simple: never dial a code because a caller asked, and check *#21# if you ever did.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Thinking "nothing happened" after dialling. Forwarding turns on silently.
2. Checking only one SIM. Scammers target whichever SIM is linked to your bank.
3. Ignoring a WhatsApp verification you did not ask for. It means someone is trying to register your number. Never share that code.

Summary table