The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) raises objections to Truecaller displaying a “frequently blocked” badge for calls made using dedicated 1600 series numbers under a regulated framework for banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) entities and government-to-citizen communications. TRAI says the badge is “not advisable” because it can mislead and confuse telecom users, and may create unwarranted suspicion about calls in the 1600 and 140 categories that otherwise fall within TRAI’s prescribed, regulated use.
Instead, TRAI says Truecaller should show information that directs users to exercise their choice to block unwanted communication through TRAI’s official Do Not Disturb (DND) preference management app. The regulator also indicates that further awareness and outreach on DND options would help educate users about the tools available to manage unwanted calls rather than relying on a “frequently blocked” label. The positions reported across outlets focus on how user-facing call labels affect public perception of regulated service numbers and how DND can be used to give consumers control.
