Tackling the Menace of Pesky Robocalls and Spam Calls: A Call for Ethical Telemarketing and Improved Regulation

In our connected world, spam calls have become a constant bother, disrupting lives and harming business prospects of genuine enterprises. In this article, we will dive into the widespread issue of pesky robocalls and spam calls, explore their root causes, and offer solutions to address this growing problem.

The Problem:

Spam callers disrupt the lives of ordinary individuals with relentless promotional calls and marketing messages. This erodes the trust in legitimate businesses and causes user frustration. LocalCircles conducted an extensive study by surveying 60,000 Indian Citizens across 378 districts in the country. The figures revealed are at an all-time high:

⦁ 30% of the respondents got 1-2 spam calls per day on average

⦁ 36% of the respondents got 3-5 spam calls per day on average

⦁ 21% of the respondents got 6-10 spam calls per day on average

⦁ 3% of the respondents got 10+ spam calls per day on average

Another alarming trend is the rise of data phishing. Victims receive calls where callers impersonate a trustworthy person/agency/institute. They create a sense of urgency or fear by claiming that immediate action is required, such as threatening legal consequences or asserting that an account has been compromised. Scammers try to extract variety of private information:

1. Personal Information such as Full name, Date of birth, Address, Aadhar card/Passport/Voter ID/ Driver's License and Personal identification numbers (PINs) or passwords

2. Financial Information such as Bank account details, Credit/Debit card information (card number, expiration date, CVV), Online banking login credentials and Investment account details.

3. Classified Information of National Security (in case of Defence/Armed Forces Employees) such as Military Strategies and planning, Important locations or Position of troops and Arms inventory

4. Employment Information such as Employment status, Employer name and contact information, Salary details and Employee identification numbers

Regulatory Challenges:

Current rules require telemarketers to register and respect the National "Do Not Disturb" Registry by TRAI. However, many telemarketers ignore these rules, making it hard to regulate them. Telecom companies have largely ignored the problem of spam calls, leaving consumers to fend for themselves. This practice has been fueled by:

⦁ Robocalling technology which allows scammers to dial thousands of numbers.

⦁ Widespread and easy availability of Unlimited calling and messaging by all major service providers which has enabled bulk fraudulent SIM card acquisition.

⦁ Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services that enable spammers to make calls from anywhere in the world, targeting individuals in different countries

Proposed Solutions:

To tackle spam calls effectively, we need a multi-pronged approach. There have been several advancements by the government as well as private players in tackling the menace.

⦁ The Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR), 2018 safeguards customers from Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC) while enabling businesses to reach opted-in customers according to their preferences.

⦁ In 2022, a new "Unified Licensing" Framework was introduced for authorisation of "Audiotex/Audio-Conferencing/Voicemail service"

⦁ Audiotex is any service where non-real time messages are stored and forwarded over telephones lines. Whereas, Audio Conferencing is real-time transmission of voice between groups of users in two or more locations.

⦁ These services are now licensed by the Department of Telecom (DoT).

These frameworks can bring about positive change to the current scenario, if a 100% compliance is observed by all telemarketers, telecom operators and all other relevant bodies that deal with Robocalls and (or) Sales calls. Only genuine Businesses and Institutions will then finally be able to reach out to the correct user without users being hesitant or suspicious. Proper Compliance of frameworks will also keep fraudulent and phishing activities in check. DoT also needs to become more vigilant and stringent when it comes to ensuring proper compliance by relevant bodies.

Conclusion:

Spam calls are a significant problem that requires immediate action. By embracing ethical telemarketing practices and improving regulation, we can mitigate this issue. The TRAI and DoT have introduced frameworks to safeguard consumers and genuine callers. The Compliance of the said regulations will help individuals avoid spam calls while supporting legitimate businesses.