Fake calls will be curbed! Caller names will now be visible on your mobile phone; experts explain why this feature is important..

Calling Name Presentation: Avoiding spam and fraudulent calls is now becoming easier. Soon, whenever you receive a call on your mobile, the caller's name will be displayed along with the number. The Department of Telecommunications has instructed telecom companies to launch this feature in one circle within a week. If successful, this service will be implemented nationwide, potentially curbing fraud and cyber fraud. This new step by DoT and TRAI has been taken to curb spam calls. This means that users will now know who is calling before receiving the call, which is expected to reduce fraudulent calls. Let's understand from telecom expert Gajendra Upadhyay why the government is implementing this rule and what precautions should be taken when receiving a spam call.

What will be the caller's name?
This name will be the same as the one provided in the ID proof when purchasing the mobile number connection. This will be the default feature. If a user does not want this feature, they can deactivate it. Telecom companies conducted trials for this service in the Mumbai and Haryana circles last year.

In the recommendation TRAI sent to the DoT in February 2024 for this service, called "Calling Name Presentation" (CNAP), it stated that the service should be activated only when the consumer receiving the call requests it. Following this, the Ministry made changes. In its letter back to TRAI, the Ministry stated that this service should be available by default. If a consumer receiving a call does not want this service, they can request to have it disabled. TRAI has accepted the Ministry's view, and both departments are now on the same page.

Changes to Prevent Fraudulent Calls
This step has been taken to prevent fraudulent calls and cyber crimes such as digital arrests and financial scams across the country. This will ensure that consumers know who is calling them, enabling them to identify fraudulent calls.

These will be exempted:
Consumers who have taken Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) will not have their names displayed when receiving calls.

This feature is provided to ordinary consumers, officials of central intelligence agencies, and VIPs.
Phone companies thoroughly vet ordinary customers who have taken CLIR and ensure that law enforcement agencies have access to it if needed.

Bulk connections, call centers, and telemarketers cannot take advantage of this feature.

Learn about spam calls and messages in this Q&A…
Question: What are spam calls or messages?
Spam calls or messages are calls or messages made to people from unknown numbers, promising to take out loans, get credit cards, win a lottery, or purchase a company's service or product. All these calls or messages are made without your permission.

Who is more likely to receive spam calls?
Spam calls are generally more likely to be received by those who receive and answer spam calls. Answering spam calls can add your number to the company's list of numbers that commonly answer and respond to their calls, as advertising companies and scammers believe these people are likely to be targeted. Therefore, the less you fall prey to spam, the fewer spam calls you'll receive.

Where do these companies get your mobile number?
The question that arises in most people's minds is, "If I haven't used any services from this company, how did the company get my mobile number?" In fact, users themselves, knowingly or unknowingly, provide their mobile numbers to these companies. Some companies sell your mobile number, email ID, age, or personal data, such as your hobbies, to third parties. When you sign up for a service, some companies mention in their terms and conditions that they may use your data for advertising or share it with third parties, but none of us ever bother to read those terms and conditions. For example:

Whenever we create a social media account, we register our number there.

When we download an app from the Play Store, we permit it to access our entire phone, including our phone number.

When we purchase from a mall or shopping website, we enter our mobile number.

We post our phone number online on various social media platforms and websites without verification.

From there, these companies sell your number to other companies, which then allow advertising companies to call or send you messages.

What precautions should you take when receiving a spam call?
Spam calls are difficult to identify because these numbers often resemble regular mobile numbers. Therefore, if you accidentally receive a spam call, you should take certain precautions. • If you receive a call in which the caller, either personally or through an AI recording, asks you to press a number, hang up immediately, as scammers use this trick to obtain information about you. • Do not answer any questions asked in the phone call, especially those that can be answered with a "yes" or "no." • If you have any doubts about an unknown caller, never share personal information such as account numbers, hobbies, age, or identity information. • If you receive a call in which the caller claims to be an official from a bank or government agency and is asking for personal details, hang up immediately. • Call the phone number listed on the bank or government agency's website for verification. You'll usually receive an email or text message before receiving a phone call from a legitimate source. • Exercise caution if a phone call pressures you to provide personal information immediately.

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