Magicnation Forum

"Hello Sir! We are calling from XYZ bank. congratulations! You are eligible for a loan of 1 lakh rupees." Consider yourself lucky if you are still to hear these words from an unknown caller. For the rest of us, spam calls and messages have become as common as eating food. Even if the world forgets you, these people will never fail to track you down with their 'amazing' offers, delivering a loan of frustration at your doorstep.

No worries the government has a plan for these now. Let's see what our telco ministry is up to regarding these unwarranted guests!

• New Guidelines to Combat Spam Calls and Messages
• Draft Guidelines Reviewed
• Key Stakeholders
• Proposed Solutions
• Next step

The government is working hard to address the persistent issue of spam calls and messages. The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) is about finish a set of detailed guidelines designed to reduce unwanted messages from businesses. In a meeting presided over by DoCA Secretary Nidhi Khare on May 10, the document, titled "Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Unsolicited and Unwarranted Business Communication, 2024," was thoroughly reviewed. Representatives from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), and significant telecom firms like Vodafone, Reliance, and Airtel were among the important stakeholders who attended the meeting.

The draft seeks to clarify terms and give precise descriptions of the sorts of communications that may be deemed unnecessary or unwanted. A strong legal foundation for consumer protection is ensured by these guidelines, if implemented properly or if a workaround to be found by companies like paisabazaar. 

Spam calls and messages continue to be a major issue despite the many steps taken in the past by TRAI and DoT. Caller names display functions on phones, which display caller names based on the Customer Application Form (CAF), have been suggested by TRAI. The goal of this project is to lessen dependency on applications like Truecaller. Furthermore, TRAI has recommended the development and implementation of a Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) system for "the authorities," which include financial organizations, banks, and trading companies. Users of this system can sign up and cancel their consent to receive digital commercial communications.

The committee members unanimously agreed at the most recent meeting that excessive promotional communication is a serious problem that needs to be addressed head-on. The Secretary of DoCA expressed gratitude to regulators for their efforts and stressed the importance of strong departmental and interministerial collaboration to guarantee that consumer interests are safeguarded under the Consumer Protection Act of 2019.

With the release of these new guidelines, the government's campaign against automated calls is gathering pace. In order to avoid and control unsolicited business communication, the Department of Telecommunications and TRAI actively participated in the formulation of these regulations. The soon-to-be finalized standards should provide much-needed respite to consumers who are constantly receiving spam calls and messages.

Spam calls are increasing everyday whether it is related to loan or job, The government have to take the right initiative to stop this.

Every day, someone or the other is becoming a victim of scam by attending such scam calls. 

Thanks for sharing  

This is a welcome step towards reclaiming control over our digital spaces. Unwanted calls and spam have become a nuisance, disrupting our daily lives and eroding trust in communication channels