Save three numbers on every elder's phone: 112 for any emergency (police, fire, ambulance), 1930 if money is lost to online or phone fraud, and 14567, Elderline, the national helpline for senior citizens, open 8 AM to 8 PM every day.
112: any emergency
112 is India's single emergency number. It connects to police, fire and ambulance services. Call it for a fall with injury, chest pain, breathing trouble, a fire, or if someone is in danger.
1930: cyber fraud
1930 is the national cyber fraud helpline. Call it as soon as money is lost through a phone call, UPI, a link or an app. The faster you call, the better the chance the bank can freeze the money. You can also report at cybercrime.gov.in.
14567: Elderline
Elderline is the national helpline for senior citizens, run by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. It is free and open from 8 AM to 8 PM every day. Elders can call for information on pensions and government schemes, legal help, care homes, day care, or just to talk when they feel lonely.
Reporting a suspicious call or SMS
If a call or message looks like fraud but no money was lost, you can report it on Chakshu at sancharsaathi.gov.in. This helps the Department of Telecommunications block numbers used for scams.
How to set it up on their phone
- Save each number with a clear name: "Emergency 112", "Cyber fraud 1930", "Elderline 14567".
- Add a family member as a favourite or speed dial.
- Write the numbers on a card and stick it on the fridge or near the phone.
- Practise once: ask your parent to show you where the numbers are.
RingThru is not an emergency service. In an emergency, always call 112.
Written by the RingThru team and checked against the official sources linked below. This guide is not legal or medical advice.