Stop Spam Calls and SMS in India: DND, Spam Filters and Chakshu

Loan offers, credit-card upgrades, “your KYC is expiring” — spam calls and SMS waste time and some are outright fraud. Use all three layers below.

1. Do Not Disturb (DND) with TRAI

• SMS START 0 to 1909 from your mobile to block all promotional calls and SMS, or call 1909 and choose categories (banking, real estate, etc.).
• The TRAI DND app lets you register preferences and report unwanted commercial messages.
• DND covers registered telemarketers; it can’t stop fraudsters using ordinary numbers — that is what the next two layers are for.

2. Your phone’s spam protection

• In the Phone (Google) app: Settings → Spam and Call Screen → turn on See caller & spam ID and Filter spam calls.
• In Messages: Settings → Spam protection.
• Long-press any number → Block / Report spam.

3. Report fraud: Chakshu

For suspected fraud calls and messages (fake KYC, impersonating officials, sextortion threats), report on the Sanchar Saathi portal or app under Chakshu. If you have already lost money, call 1930 immediately and report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Good habits

• Never share OTPs, never install apps or “screen sharing” tools on a caller’s instructions.
• Banks and government departments don’t ask you to verify accounts by phone call.