2 in 3 Indians receive 3 or more pesky calls every day: Report

New Delhi, May 17

Nearly 64 per cent Indians get three or more spam calls every day, according to a report on Tuesday.

According to the report by LocalCircles, an independent community engagement and social media platform, a whopping 95 per cent of mobile subscribers that have registered on Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) Do Not Disturb (DND) list said they still get unwanted and pesky phone calls on their number.

Financial services like new accounts, loans, insurance, and real estate offers are among top categories where Indians receive spam calls.

The findings also indicate that Indians handle pesky or spam calls majorly by picking the call and then either blocking the caller or telling them not to call again.

The report was based on a survey of over 37,000 responses from citizens residing across 377 districts of India, including Tier-II, III, and IV cities as well as rural areas.

Reporting these findings to the TRAI, LocalCircles called for a strong need to implement penalties for spam phone calls and enable an easy way for people to report such calls.

It added that the TRAI needs to do a lot more in fixing accountability of mobile service providers who, despite knowing that a number is being used to make spam phone calls, do not take action as long as those indulging in such activities are paying their bills.

"Only when the repercussions of such offences are serious will entities and their callers take this matter seriously or else the menace will continue," it said.