TRAI-Truecaller: TRAI wants caller ID apps like Truecaller, Hiya, and Whoscall to stop marking numbers in the 140 and 1600 series as spam.

(TRAI-Truecaller come face to face)

TRAI-Truecaller: Spam calls were rapidly increasing in the country, and TRAI was adopting new methods to address them. Meanwhile, TRAI and Truecaller have come face-to-face to curb spam calls. Yes, in fact, Truecaller had started flagging many calls as fake, including banking calls. Another reason for this confrontation is whether caller ID apps can warn users by flagging calls from the 140 and 1600 series as spam. Let's explore the impact this will have on users.

What is the whole matter?

According to media reports, TRAI wants caller ID apps like Truecaller, Hiya , and Whoscall to stop flagging numbers in the 140 and 1600 series as spam. TRAI believes that calls from these numbers are only used by registered companies, banks, and other organizations for marketing or service purposes. Therefore, they should not be classified as spam.

On the other hand, Truecaller says that if most of the users are repeatedly complaining about a number or are blocking those numbers, then in such a situation they have every right to provide information to the users.

What are the rules of TRAI?

According to reports, TRAI implemented a new system in 2024, under which special number series were designated for different types of business calls. The 140 series is used for promotional or telemarketing calls. The 1600 series was designated for banking, OTP, transaction, and other service calls.

Now after this, TRAI has directed the companies to use these special numbers instead of the normal 10 digit mobile numbers so that the users can easily identify that the call has come from a registered organization.

What did Truecaller say on TRAI's proposal?

Truecaller CEO Rishit Jhunjhunwala has criticized TRAI's proposal. He says the company helps protect millions of Indians from spam and fraudulent calls every day. Preventing apps from warning users will directly impact users, and fraudsters could also exploit this system, potentially increasing the number of fraud cases.

What will be the impact on users?

It's worth noting that this controversy could directly impact millions of Indian mobile users. If caller ID apps are not permitted to display warnings, it will be difficult to identify whether these calls are from a registered company or a fraudster. However, a final decision from the government is still pending.