How to Report Spam Calls and SMS in India (and Actually Reduce Them)

“Sir, pre-approved personal loan…” “Ma’am, your credit card limit has been increased…” “Congratulations, you’ve won…” If your phone is anything like mine, you get a few of these every day. Some are just annoying. Some are outright scams.

I used to just hang up and grumble. Then I spent a weekend setting up the tools available in India to fight this, and the number of spam calls dropped noticeably. Not to zero – I won’t lie to you – but enough to make a difference. Here’s what I did.

Note: telecom rules and app features in this area are changing quickly. Where I mention official processes, please check the TRAI, DoT or your operator’s official site for the latest steps.

Two Different Problems: Spam vs Fraud

It helps to separate these:

• Spam / unsolicited commercial communication (UCC): marketing calls and SMS – loans, credit cards, real estate, insurance. Annoying, but not necessarily fraud.
• Fraud: calls and messages trying to steal money or data – fake KYC, “your parcel is stuck”, “digital arrest”, fake job offers, sextortion threats.

Different tools handle each. Let’s go through both.

Step 1: Turn On DND (Do Not Disturb) – Using 1909

DND is the official TRAI system to block commercial calls and SMS. It’s free.

How to activate

• SMS: send START to 1909 from your mobile number. You’ll get a reply with options for blocking categories (banking, real estate, education, health, etc.) or blocking everything.
• Call: call 1909 (toll-free) and follow the instructions.
• Your operator’s app or website: Jio, Airtel and Vi apps usually have a DND or “Block promotions” option in settings.

To block all promotional categories, choose the full block option. You’ll still get transactional messages (OTPs, bank alerts) and service messages you’ve consented to.

It may take up to a few days to come into effect.

Use the TRAI DND app

TRAI has an official app (search “TRAI DND” on the Play Store – check the developer is TRAI). It lets you:
– Register DND preferences.
– Report spam calls and SMS directly from your call log and messages.
– Track the status of your complaints.

Reporting through this app (or via 1909) creates an official complaint against the sender.

How to report a spam call or SMS via SMS

TRAI’s rules allow you to report unsolicited commercial calls or SMS to 1909, generally within a limited window after receiving them (check the current time limit on TRAI’s site or the DND app). The format usually includes the sender’s number, date and a short description. The DND app makes this easier than typing it manually.

Step 2: Report Fraud Calls and Messages on Sanchar Saathi (Chakshu)

For suspected fraud – not just marketing – use the Department of Telecommunications’ Sanchar Saathi portal or app.

Chakshu is the feature for reporting suspected fraud communication:
1. Go to sancharsaathi.gov.in or install the official Sanchar Saathi app.
2. Choose Chakshu – Report Suspected Fraud Communication.
3. Select the medium (call, SMS, WhatsApp), category (KYC fraud, impersonation, fake job, etc.), and enter the number and details.
4. Verify with OTP and submit.

This helps authorities identify and disconnect numbers used for fraud. You don’t need to have lost money to report.

Other useful Sanchar Saathi features:
– Know Mobile Connections in Your Name – check if someone has taken a SIM using your ID. Report any you don’t recognise.
– Block lost or stolen phones (CEIR).
– Know Your Mobile (KYM) – verify a phone’s IMEI before buying a second-hand phone.

If you’ve already lost money

That’s a different emergency. Call 1930 (national cybercrime helpline) immediately, and file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in. Then call your bank.

Step 3: Turn On Your Operator’s Spam Protection

Operators have started offering network-level spam detection, which may label suspected spam calls and SMS. Features and names vary – for example, Airtel has promoted AI-based spam alerts – and availability changes. Check your operator’s app or website to see what’s available on your number and whether it’s on by default.

Step 4: Use Your Phone’s Built-In Spam Filters

Android – Google Phone app

If your phone uses the Google Phone app (Pixel, many Motorola, and others):
1. Open Phone → three-dot menu → Settings → Caller ID & spam.
2. Turn on See caller and spam ID and Filter spam calls.

Filtered calls won’t ring, but appear in your call history.

On Samsung, look for Caller ID and spam protection in the Phone app’s settings. Other brands have similar options in the dialer settings.

Google Messages spam protection

Open Messages → profile/menu → Messages settings → Spam protection and turn it on. Spam goes into a separate folder.

iPhone

• Settings → Phone → Silence Unknown Callers – calls from numbers not in contacts go straight to voicemail.
• Settings → Messages → Unknown & Spam → Filter Unknown Senders – separates messages from unknown senders.
• You can also install a caller ID app and enable it in Settings → Phone → Call Blocking & Identification.

Third-party caller ID apps

Apps like Truecaller are popular in India for identifying spam. They’re useful, but think about the privacy tradeoff – these apps may upload your contacts to identify callers. Read the permissions and decide what you’re comfortable with.

Step 5: Block and Report Inside WhatsApp

Lots of spam and scams have moved to WhatsApp – especially international numbers offering “part-time jobs”.

• Open the chat → tap the name → Block and Report.
• In Settings → Privacy → Calls, turn on Silence unknown callers.
• In Settings → Privacy → Groups, set who can add you to My contacts.
• In Settings → Privacy → Advanced, turn on Block unknown account messages if available.

Step 6: Check Message Sender Headers

Commercial SMS in India come from registered sender headers (like AX-HDFCBK or similar). TRAI has also introduced suffixes that show the type of message – you may see letters like -P (promotional), -S (service), -T (transactional) or -G (government) at the end of sender IDs.

This helps you tell at a glance whether a message is a bank alert or a promotion. If a “bank” message comes from a regular 10-digit mobile number, be very suspicious.

Step 7: Reduce Where Your Number Leaks

Prevention helps too:

• Think before giving your number for “free” offers, lucky draws, contests and shopping bills.
• Read the fine print on loan apps, forms and websites – many include consent to “contact you about offers”.
• Use a secondary number for shopping and sign-ups, if you have a dual-SIM phone.
• Revoke consent: banks and companies you’ve done business with may still send promotions. TRAI rules allow you to withdraw consent – check the sender’s message for opt-out options, or your bank’s app settings.

What Doesn’t Help (Much)

• Arguing with telemarketers. They’ll just mark you as “callback later”.
• Replying “STOP” to unknown senders. For legitimate brands, opt-out works. For scammers, replying confirms your number is active.
• Downloading random “spam blocker” apps with poor reviews. Some are themselves data collectors.

Realistic Expectations

You won’t get to zero spam overnight. Some calls come from unregistered numbers that DND can’t block, and scammers keep changing numbers. But DND + reporting + phone filters + WhatsApp settings together make a real dent. And every report you make helps get those numbers flagged for everyone else.

FAQ

How do I activate DND in India?
Send START to 1909 or call 1909, then choose the categories you want to block. You can also use your operator’s app or the TRAI DND app.

Will DND block OTPs and bank alerts?
No. Transactional and service messages like OTPs and bank alerts still come through.

Where should I report fraud calls in India?
Report suspected fraud on Sanchar Saathi’s Chakshu feature. If you’ve lost money, call 1930 and file at cybercrime.gov.in.

Is it safe to answer spam calls?
Answering isn’t usually dangerous, but never share OTPs, PINs or personal details, and don’t install apps or click links they send.