Spam and scam calls in India: what to do
Turn on Do Not Disturb by calling or texting 1909, or in the TRAI DND app, and report spam there too. Report a fraud call on Chakshu at sancharsaathi.gov.in, and if money was taken, call 1930 at once or file at cybercrime.gov.in.
No police officer, court or agency arrests anyone over a video call. A “digital arrest” is always a scam: hang up.
How common are scam calls in India?
- People in India reported losing ₹22,845.73 crore to cyber fraud in 2024, up from ₹7,465.18 crore in 2023.Ministry of Home Affairs, Lok Sabha answer on cybercrime cases (December 2, 2025)
- 22.68 lakh cybercrime incidents were registered on the national portal in 2024, 42% more than in 2023.Ministry of Home Affairs, Lok Sabha answer on cybercrime cases (December 2, 2025)
- Over 21 lakh mobile numbers were disconnected and blacklisted in a year after people reported them in the TRAI DND app.The Tribune (ANI), TRAI urges citizens to report spam via DND app (November 24, 2025)
How do I stop sales calls in India?
Do Not Disturb (DND) is TRAI’s national register for sales calls and texts. It’s free.
- Call 1909 or send an SMS to 1909 from your number, or register in the TRAI DND app.TRAI, FAQ: Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC)
- Still getting sales calls? Report each one to 1909 or in the DND app, soon after it comes.TRAI, FAQ: Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC)
- Reports in the app let phone companies trace and disconnect the number, which blocking on your phone can’t do.The Tribune (ANI), TRAI urges citizens to report spam via DND app (November 24, 2025)
Where do I report a scam call?
- Report a suspected fraud call, SMS or WhatsApp message on Chakshu, at sancharsaathi.gov.in.Department of Telecommunications, Sanchar Saathi
- Money taken? Call 1930 right away, or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in.Ministry of Home Affairs, Lok Sabha answer on cybercrime cases (December 2, 2025)
- TRAI handles spam and sales calls; the Department of Telecommunications runs Sanchar Saathi for fraud.TRAI, FAQ: Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC)Department of Telecommunications, Sanchar Saathi
What do phone companies offer for free?
- Airtel shows a “Suspected Spam” alert on likely spam calls and texts, free and on for every customer, no app needed.Bharti Airtel, Airtel launches India’s first AI-powered network solution for spam detection (September 25, 2024)
- Every phone company takes DND registrations and spam reports through 1909.TRAI, FAQ: Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC)
Which scams are common right now?
“Digital arrest”
Callers pose as police, the CBI, the NCB or the RBI, say your name is linked to a crime, and keep you on the line until you pay. The government has warned about it again and again.
Ministry of Home Affairs, Rajya Sabha answer on digital arrest scams (November 27, 2024)A parcel in your name
A “courier company” says a parcel in your name holds something illegal, then passes you to fake police. The government lists these courier (“FedEx”) scams alongside digital arrests.
Ministry of Home Affairs, Rajya Sabha answer on digital arrest scams (November 27, 2024)Spoofed Indian numbers from abroad
Calls from abroad can show an Indian number. The government says such spoofed calls were used in recent digital arrest cases, and phone companies now block them.
Ministry of Home Affairs, Rajya Sabha answer on digital arrest scams (November 27, 2024)What should I say, and not say?
Say
- I’ll call the police station myself.
- I don’t share OTPs or bank details on the phone.
- Then hang up and report the number on Chakshu.
Don’t
- Don’t stay on a video call with “officers”.
- Don’t share an OTP, UPI PIN or screen with a caller.
- Don’t transfer money to “verify” or “clear” your name.
- Don’t install an app a caller asks you to.
Where does Vicem fit?
Vicem is an AI that answers your phone when you can’t, on its own number or on yours.
- It answers the calls you miss and turns away scam calls.
- It always tells callers it’s an AI.
- Works when your phone is off.
- Asks you before anything important.
- Anyone can check what it did.
- Robocalls, scam calls and silent calls Vicem screens out at the start never count against your minutes, nor do calls that fail on our side.
- It never gives a caller your details.
- You get a short summary of every call.
- It answers callers in Hindi and 36 other languages.
What it can’t do
- It answers only the calls you forward to it or that reach your Vicem number. Calls you pick up are yours.
- It doesn’t block or report numbers. Keep the register and your phone company’s filter on.
- Some phone companies charge for forwarded calls. Check yours before you turn it on.
- There are no local Vicem numbers in India yet: keep your number and forward the calls you miss.
Free for 14 days.
What do people ask?
What is a digital arrest?
A scam. Callers pretend to be police or an agency and keep you on the line until you pay. No real agency arrests anyone online.
How do I stop sales calls in India?
Turn on Do Not Disturb: call or text 1909, or use the TRAI DND app. Report the calls that still come.
What should I do if I lost money?
Call 1930 right away and file at cybercrime.gov.in. The sooner you report, the better the chance of stopping the money.