The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a public advisory encouraging citizens to report unsolicited commercial communications (UCC), commonly known as spam calls and SMS, directly through the official TRAI DND App. The authority highlighted that merely blocking numbers on personal devices is an ineffective measure, as it fails to address the issue at its source.
Impact of Collective Reporting
TRAI’s recent actions underscore the significant impact of collective user participation. Over the past year, acting upon citizen complaints facilitated through the reporting mechanism, TRAI has initiated the disconnection and blacklisting of over 21 lakh mobile numbers and approximately one lakh entities found to be involved in sending spam and fraudulent messages. This large-scale enforcement demonstrates that active reporting by users is crucial in the nationwide effort to curb the misuse of telecom resources.
The key difference highlighted by TRAI is the process initiated by reporting via the official app. When a user reports a spam call or SMS through the TRAI DND App, it enables TRAI and the associated telecom service providers to trace, verify, and permanently disconnect the offending mobile numbers.
Conversely, blocking a number solely on a personal device only hides the communication on that specific phone and does not prevent the same or new offenders from contacting other citizens.
Public Advisory and Best Practices
In its advisory, TRAI provided a clear set of guidelines for citizens:
- Download and Utilize the Official App: Citizens are advised to download the TRAI DND App from official application stores.
- Report, Don’t Just Block: Use the TRAI DND App to report spam SMS and calls instead of only blocking the numbers on the phone. This action directly aids in the identification and disconnection of offenders
- Protect Personal Information: Avoid sharing personal or banking details in response to unsolicited calls, messages, or on social media platforms.
- Immediate Disconnection: Citizens should disconnect immediately if they receive calls that are threatening or suspicious in nature.
- Report Cyber Fraud: Report confirmed cyber frauds to the National Cybercrime Helpline at 1930 or via the official portal, www.cybercrime.gov.in.
- Utilize Chakshu Feature: Attempted fraud involving the misuse of telecom resources should be reported using the “Chakshu” feature on the Sanchar Saathi portal.
Commitment to a Secure Telecom Environment
The Authority reiterated its commitment to ensuring a safe, secure, and trustworthy telecom environment for all citizens. TRAI noted that ongoing enforcement actions, coupled with technology-driven monitoring and active public participation through the TRAI DND App, are essential pillars in the strategy to stop spam at its source.
TRAI concluded by urging all citizens, particularly senior citizens, women users, and those who are digitally new or less-experienced, to remain vigilant, share this advisory widely, and promptly report any suspicious communication they encounter.