Can Dialling *#21# Confirm If Your Phone Has Been Hacked? Answer is ‘No’

Recently, a TV journalist posted a video on social media, claiming that dialling the code *#21# on your mobile phone can reveal whether the phone has been hacked.

This video quickly went viral, prompting many users to express concerns over the safety of the smartphone. It has been widely shared as a test for smartphone users to check the so-called hacking status of their devices.

Fact Crescendo received this video with fact-check requests on our WhatsApp Tipline (9049053770).

Our investigation revealed that the viral claim is false and misleading. There is no code or number that can accurately confirm whether your phone has been hacked or not.

WHAT’S THE CLAIM?

Journalist Rahul Sinha from TV-9 Bharatvarsh uploaded a video on his X (formerly Twitter) account on 17 December. In the caption, he suggested a special number to check if your smartphone has been hacked and another number to undo the hacking.

In the demo, Sinha dials *#21# on his phone's keypad, and some text appears on the mobile screen. According to him, if all the options in the message are 'disabled,' it means the phone is not hacked. If they are 'enabled,' then the phone is considered hacked.

He further advises to dial ##002# to erase all the compromised features on the phone and secure it in case it has been hacked.

न्यूज़ मित्रों , अगर आपका फ़ोन हैक हुआ है तो जो नंबर मैं बता रहा हूँ उसे डायल कीजिए आपको पता चल जाएगा कि आपका फ़ोन हैक है या नही ? अगर हैक है तो एक नंबर और बता रहा हूँ जिससे आप उस हैकर के चंगुल से बाहर आ सकते हैं pic.twitter.com/BXlmFhLOda

— Rahul sinha (@RahulSinhaTV) December 17, 2023

Original Video – Twitter

FACT-CHECK

What is USSD codes?

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) is a communications protocol used in GSM networks for sending short text messages. USSD is similar in format to SMS. However, it is an instant messaging service, so messages are not stored on the operator side or on the subscriber’s device.

USSD messages typically start with an asterisk (*) symbol and end with a hash (#) symbol. USSD is widely used for various mobile services, such as checking account balances and data usage and activating or deactivating value-added services.

For example, VI users can check their account balance by dialling *199*2*1#. A similar USSD code for BSNL users is *123#.

You can check the IMEI number by dialling *#06#, IMEI number will be shown on mobile screen.

In this same way, *#21# shows the call forwarding status of the phone.

What does ##002# do?

The code ##002# is a standard code for deactivating call forwarding.

When you dial ##002# and press the call button, it disables any existing call-forwarding settings on your phone. You are essentially turning off all call-forwarding settings.

Not surprisingly, dialling ##002# cannot undo or prevent hacking on a phone. The code is specifically designed to deactivate all call forwarding settings or diverts on a mobile device. It doesn't have any functionality related to addressing hacking attempts.

What is Call Forwarding?

Call forwarding is a feature that enables you to direct incoming calls to another number. This feature is particularly useful when you are unable to answer calls on your phone.

For example, you're going on a vacation, and you don't miss any important calls. You can forward all calls to your friend’s phone number while you're away. Now, if anyone tries to call you, the calls will go to your friend's phone so you can stay connected even if you're not using your own phone.

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There are four types of Call Forwarding options in our phones.

Forward all calls

All incoming calls are automatically redirected to another phone number without our phone ringing. This setting overrides all other types of conditional forwarding mentioned below.

Forward if busy/engaged

Incoming calls are forwarded if you are speaking to someone else or if you are in the process of making an outgoing call.

Forward if no answer

All incoming calls will be forwarded if you don't answer the incoming calls.

Forward if unreachable

All incoming calls will be forwarded if your phone is switched off or is out of reach.

We can set a timer or delay in seconds before forwarding the call. We can only set it to be minimum 5-seconds or maximum 30 in 5 second increments only (i.e., 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30; default is usually 15).

How to Activate Call Forwarding

You can activate Call Forwarding from the phone’s settings:

Settings > Call > Advance settings > Call forwarding.

Or, it can be activated by dialling the following USSD codes:

Service Provider	Type of Call Forwarding	USSD Code
Jio	Forward all calls	*401*<10 digit number>
BSNL	Forward all calls	**21**<10 digit number>#
Airtel	Forward all calls	**21* <10 digit number>#
VI	Forward if not reachable	**62*<10 digit number>#

To deactivate/cancel all Call forwarding, you can dial ##002#.

Conclusion

It is safe to assume that dialling the code *#21# on a mobile phone does not provide information about the hacking status of the device. Such claims made in the viral video are false and misleading.

There is no code or number that can accurately confirm whether your phone has been hacked or not. Dialling *#21# code only shows whether any call forwarding is activated on the phone.