Government Escalates Efforts Against Spam Calls, Blocking 13 Million Daily

The Department of Telecommunications, along with the telecom regulator, is actively tackling the issue of spam calls. In light of the ongoing fraud and deception caused by fake calls, the government has stepped up its efforts significantly. From implementing new policies to leveraging advanced technology, all avenues are being explored.

To enhance public awareness, the Department has instructed telecom operators to replace ringtones with awareness messages before the call connects for a duration of three months. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia reported that efforts are underway to block 13 million fraudulent calls every day.

Blocking 13 million spam calls daily

During his keynote address at the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain, Union Minister Scindia highlighted the Sanchar Saathi portal established by the Department of Telecommunications. He shared impressive statistics regarding the fake calls being intercepted through this portal and the recovery of stolen mobile devices.

Scindia emphasized that the Sanchar Saathi portal has successfully blocked 26 million—equivalent to 2.6 crore—mobile devices linked to cyber fraud. Additionally, the portal has helped trace 16 million stolen devices after they were reported. Remarkably, it has managed to trace and block 86 percent of spoof or fake calls. The Department of Telecommunications is successfully shutting down 13 million spam calls each day.

Launch of the Sanchar Saathi App

Recently, the Department of Telecommunications in India launched a mobile app for its Sanchar Saathi portal, available for both Android and iPhone users. This app allows users to report fake calls and also helps in detecting fake SIM cards registered in their name.

Beyond this portal, telecom companies have been directed to adopt AI-based spam detection technology. Airtel and Vi have already introduced AI-driven spam call systems to protect millions of their users, enabling the blocking of fraudulent calls at the operator level itself.