The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued an advisory urging citizens to report spam calls/SMS through the TRAI DND App. highlighting that simply blocking numbers on personal devices does not stop spam at the source.

Over the past year, TRAI- acting on citizen complaints facilitated the disconnection and blacklisting of more than 21 lakh mobile numbers & around one lakh entities involved in sending spam and fraudulent messages. This demonstrates that collective reporting by users plays a crucial role in curbing telecom misuse nationwide.

This large-scale action was made possible because citizens reported spam through the official TRAI DND App. When a user reports a spam call or SMS on the TRAI DND App, it allows TRAI and telecom service providers to trace, verify, and permanently disconnect the mobile numbers. In contrast, blocking a number on phone only hides it on your personal device- it does not prevent the scammer from contacting others using new numbers.

Public Advisory

Citizens are advised to:

• Download the TRAI DND App from official app stores
• Report spam SMS/calls using TRAI DND App instead of blocking them on phones to help identify and disconnect offenders
• Avoid sharing personal or banking details on calls, messages, or social media
• Disconnect immediately if receiving threatening or suspicious calls
• Report cyber frauds to the National Cybercrime Helpline (1930) or www.cybercrime.gov.in
• Report attempted fraud through misuse of telecom resources using Sanchar Saathi's "Chakshu" feature

The Authority remains committed to ensuring a safe, secure, and trustworthy telecom environment for all citizens. Ongoing enforcement actions, technology-driven monitoring, and public participation through the TRAI DND App are essential to stop spam at the source.

TRAI urges all citizens - especially senior citizens, women users, and digitally new or less-experienced audiences - to stay alert, share this advisory, and report any suspicious communication promptly.

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MI/ARJ

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