How to stop spam calls in India.
You are tired of spam calls. Every day, someone calls trying to sell you a loan, insurance, or a credit card. You never signed up for this. Here is how to make it stop — and why it sometimes does not work.
Step 1: Register for DND
DND stands for Do Not Disturb. It is a free service from TRAI (the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India). When you register, telecom companies are supposed to block promotional calls and texts to your number.
Type START 0 and send it to 1909 from the phone number you want to protect. The "0" means block all promotional messages.
DND activation takes up to 7 days. After that, promotional calls and texts should stop.
Available on Android and iOS. It lets you report spam calls directly to TRAI with one tap.
If you still get spam calls after 7 days, report them through the TRAI DND app. Include the phone number, date, and time.
Why DND doesn't always work
Here is the problem: DND blocks promotional calls. But many companies say their calls are not promotional — they call them "service" calls or "transactional" calls. If you signed up on their website or bought something from them, they may argue they have a relationship with you and can still call.
Some companies go further. They write in their privacy policy that they can call or text you even if you are registered on DND. They use words like "service communications" or "transactional messages" to create a loophole.
We read 107 Indian company privacy policies.
Some of those policies say they can still call you — for "service," "transactional," or "promotional" reasons — even if you registered for DND. You thought DND meant don't call me. The policy leaves room to keep calling.
Read the full investigation →What else you can do
Beyond DND, you can block individual numbers directly on your phone and avoid giving your phone number to websites unless absolutely necessary. When a website asks for your number during sign-up, ask yourself: do they really need it?
Under India's new data protection law (DPDP), companies will need to show they have your clear permission before contacting you. If you want to know more about your rights, read our plain-English guide to DPDP.
How many trackers run on your pages? Does your privacy policy name them? Can you answer a data-rights email? If you don't know, we can help you find out.
Talk to Meridian Bridge Strategy →Your personal data belongs to you. Under DPDP, every company must tell you what they have and delete it if you ask. One email is all it takes.
Get the template email →We investigated 107 Indian company websites. The public report shows what we found.