Every network: call or SMS 1909 from your number, or use the TRAI DND app. Jio: MyJio → Profile → Settings → Service settings → Do not Disturb. Airtel: SMS START 0 to 1909. Vi: SMS FULLY BLOCK to 1909. Then complain within 3 days of any spam call that still gets through; after that, TRAI only records it.
DND (Do Not Disturb) is TRAI's national registry of people who don't want promotional calls and SMS. Registered telemarketers must respect it. It's free, and it works the same way on every network; only the shortcuts differ.
Step 1: turn on DND for your network
Jio
Open the MyJio app → tap the Profile icon → Settings → Service settings → Do not Disturb. Choose what to block, tap Save, then Proceed. On some versions it sits under More below your number. Jio says the preference is updated within 24 hours.
Airtel
SMS START 0 to 1909, or call 1909 and follow the prompts. Airtel's DND web page also works: enter your number, confirm the OTP, and choose Stop All.
Vi
SMS FULLY BLOCK to 1909, or call 1909. In the Vi app: My Account → DND under More Services → choose your preferences.
Any network: the TRAI DND app
TRAI's own TRAI DND app (Android and iPhone) registers DND, lets you choose categories, and files complaints with the details already filled in.
Full block or partial?
A full block stops all promotional calls and SMS. If you still want some (say, offers from your bank), TRAI lets you block by category instead:
- Banking, insurance, financial products, credit cards
- Real estate
- Education
- Health
- Consumer goods and automobiles
- Communication, broadcasting, entertainment, IT
- Tourism and leisure
The easiest way to pick categories is the TRAI DND app or your operator's app. Transactional messages (OTPs, bank alerts, delivery updates) are not blocked.
Step 2: complain within 3 days
If a promotional call or SMS still reaches you, complain quickly. TRAI's rule: a complaint made within 3 days is a valid complaint that can lead to action against the sender. After 3 days it is recorded only as a report.
SMS 1909 in this format
A brief description of the call, the caller's number, and the date in dd/mm/yy, separated by commas. For example:
Loan offer call, 98XXXXXXXX, 13/10/26
Or call 1909, or complain in the TRAI DND app.
If you registered DND recently, TRAI counts complaints only for calls received more than 7 days after you registered.
Step 3: calls DND can't stop
DND binds registered telemarketers. Scammers and unregistered callers using ordinary 10-digit numbers ignore it. For those:
| What happened | Where to report |
|---|---|
| Promotional call or SMS despite DND | 1909 or the TRAI DND app, within 3 days |
| Suspected fraud (fake KYC, "digital arrest", fake courier, job scam) | Chakshu on Sanchar Saathi (sancharsaathi.gov.in or the app) |
| You have already lost money | 1930 immediately, or cybercrime.gov.in |
Turn on your phone's own filter
Android: Phone app → Settings → Caller ID & spam → turn on spam filtering. iPhone: Settings → Phone (on newer iOS, Settings → Apps → Phone) → Silence Unknown Callers.
Step 4: fix why your number is on their lists
Spammers don't guess numbers. They buy lists built from leaked databases, loan and job apps, property portals and data brokers. DND reduces the calls; getting your number off those lists reduces who has it. Two things help:
- Ask companies that keep calling you, such as your bank or a loan app, to stop using your number for marketing. In India you can withdraw consent under the DPDP Act, section 6(4). See loan app harassment: what to do.
- Check where your number has leaked and which data brokers hold it, then ask them to delete it.
Find where your number leaked
Saaph shows the breaches and companies that have your number, then helps you ask them to stop using it or delete it.
Run a free scan →FAQ
How do I stop spam calls on Jio?
MyJio → Profile → Settings → Service settings → Do not Disturb, or call or SMS 1909. Jio updates it within 24 hours.
How do I stop spam calls on Airtel?
SMS START 0 to 1909, call 1909, or use Airtel's DND web page and choose Stop All.
How do I stop spam calls on Vi?
SMS FULLY BLOCK to 1909, call 1909, or use the Vi app (My Account → DND).
How long do I have to complain?
Three days from the call or SMS. After that TRAI records it only as a report.
General information as of October 2026, from TRAI's UCC FAQ and the help pages of Jio, Airtel and Vi. App menus and SMS keywords can change; if one doesn't work, call 1909 or use the TRAI DND app. Saaph.in is not affiliated with TRAI or any operator and does not provide legal advice.