Everyone at some point may have used a website offering free credit information services and subsequently must have found themselves overwhelmed by unsolicited spam messages and calls about loans, etc. A social media user recently narrated how he has been so profoundly disturbed by a barrage of unsolicited spam messages and calls.
“I used a website to check my credit score for free, and within a few hours, I started getting SMSes about offers and loans. Within the next few days, I started receiving calls, too, some were automated robotic calls, and some were human initiated. All of them were about loans and offers. I am really frustrated and hence seeking help.”
According to a report by Delhi-based consumer research company, LocalCircles, which recorded responses from about 57,000 Indians across varied demographics and locations, about 68 per cent of mobile subscribers, on average, received four or more promotional or spam SMSes daily.
Neeraj Dhawan, country manager of Experian India, a credit bureau, said Indian customers could directly check their credit scores with the bureau for free and unlimited times a year.
Whenever one receives an SMS from someone, there will always be an operator symbol and a circle name. For example, AM means Airtel Mumbai circle, VK means Vodafone Kolkata, JD means Jio Delhi, JX means Jio Karnataka, BT means BSNL Tamil Nadu, VZ means Vodafone Maharashtra and Goa, etc.
The first of the two characters symbolises the operator, such as Jio, Vodafone, Airtel, BSNL, etc., initiating the SMS, and the second one denotes the telecom circle.
Henceforth, when you receive such an SMS, note the information down to offer as proof to the operator should they demand to see one.
Official credit bureaus will never sell its customer’s contact number to a loan company. So, you may use the websites of credit bureaus to check your credit scores instead of relying on free websites.
In addition, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has an Android app and a phone helpline number where people can register their complaints.
Helpline
● You should forward an SMS to the 1909 number. To initiate the process, type in ‘Start’ and choose the appropriate category after the menu option comes. One can also forward an SMS to 1909 in the following format: Unsolicited Commercial Communications(UCC), XXXXXXXXX, dd/mm/yy where XXXXXXXXXX is the telephone number or header of the UCC.
● At the present moment, there are seven categories- banking and financial products, including credit cards, real estate, education, health, consumer goods and automobiles, communication, broadcasting, entertainment, IT, tourism and leisure, and food and beverage.
The App
TRAI has a free Android app called TRAI DND 3.0 that one can use to block or put the numbers on the DND list.
Network Carrier Option
All the following three network carriers have their own DND solutions.
Vodafone Idea (Vi): The Vi mobile application for Android and iOS has a DND feature, and if someone wants to use a laptop, the website to go to is -https://www.myvi.in/dnd. However, do note this service requires an OTP verification, so make sure your mobile number can receive messages.
Jio: Jio users must download the My Jio Android or iOS application, navigate through its menu (three slab bars on the top left corner), and select the DND option. There will be three options- full blocked DND, some marketing and promotional DND, and third a custom DND filter. Depending on your choice, the filters will be applied after 24 hours, as mentioned in a frequently asked question document from Jio.
Airtel: Airtel has a dedicated DND website-https://www.airtel.in/airtel-dnd, where one can register for DND filters. However, like Vodafone Idea (Vi), an OTP will be sent to your Airtel mobile number, so make sure your mobile can receive SMS. It will show the same eight categories defined in the TRAI list to the user after validating their login using the OTP. You can select any one of the categories or all of them to create a DND filter.
BSNL: Like TRAI’s 1909 solution, you will have to send an SMS ‘start DND and select the DND category from the options presented via SMS. It is a free service; however, Android phones will alert you that SMS to this number might be chargeable.
Some Things To Know About DND
● Once you have put in the DND request, wait 30 days before adding another request to the existing filter category.
● If, for some reason, you decide to de-register from the DND database, then you will have to wait at least 90 days from the date of activation.
● DND will block all unsolicited SMS but not SMS from companies with whom you have a relationship. So, you will still get promotional offers and SMS from your bank and other websites where you have an account or relationship.
