Imagine these scenarios:
Scenario 1: A biker meets with an accident. His mobile is damaged. A passerby calls the biker’s relative from his own phone to inform them about the mishap. Sadly, the call is not answered as the receiver, frustrated by spam calls, declines the call, mistaking it for spam.
Scenario 2: A professional woman had applied for a passport and was waiting for it. Finding some discrepancies in her application, a passport official calls her. Under stress in a corporate meeting and seeing an unknown number, she answers the call only to scream at the caller and cut the call, blocking the number before the caller can reattempt.
Scenario 3: A celebrity had applied for a Padma award and was eagerly awaiting the results. Being busy, he blocked all calls from unidentified callers. Unfortunately, someone from the concerned ministry calls to inform him about his selection, but the call is blocked.
These scenarios, though imaginary, reflect today’s harsh reality. I believe we all resonate with the frustration of numerous unknown pesky, fraudulent, and spam calls. It’s not just about local telemarketers anymore. Now we get such calls even from abroad. So, someone wants to ‘digitally arrest’ someone to extort money, sell US-listed stocks to us, or push insurance policies.
Spam calls are not just an Indian problem. They are a global menace. According to the Hiya Global Call Threat Report Q3 2024, Hiya flagged 9.7 billion suspected spam calls worldwide, averaging 105 million unwanted calls daily. Comparitech notes that between 2017 and 2024, spam calls have seen exponential growth, with Americans fending off over 3 billion spam calls per month.
Now, let us discuss a global view on spam calls. Let us check situations in some nations and continents.
United States: Americans lost around $39.5 billion to phone scams in 2022, with an average scam call costing victims $567. Phishing attacks grew by 17% in 2023, costing global businesses $20.5 billion. In 2023, mobile devices were targeted by 62% of spam emails, and spam emails made up 45.6% of global email traffic. The highest volume was in May, reaching nearly 50% of all emails.
Europe and Asia: Spam calls plague other parts of the world too. For example, in the United Kingdom, consumers lost over £190 million to phone scams in 2023.
China: In 2023, China witnessed a dramatic surge in spam calls, resulting in staggering financial losses estimated at over $12 billion. This alarming trend highlights the growing sophistication of fraudulent schemes targeting unsuspecting individuals and businesses alike. Scammers exploited vulnerabilities in digital and telecom networks, often masquerading as government officials, bank representatives, or service providers to extract sensitive information or solicit payments. The sheer scale of these operations overwhelmed the efforts of local authorities and telecom operators to combat them effectively. This crisis reflects a broader global challenge, urging the need for stronger international cooperation, stricter regulatory measures, and advanced technological solutions to curb the pervasive menace of spam calls.
India: Coming back to India, despite reports claiming a decline in spam calls in 2024, the reality feels different. An official report states that complaints against unregistered senders dropped by 20% from August to October 2024. But do any of us believe this? Whether in the morning, at night, while eating, or during important life chores, we are constantly bombarded with spam calls. Mobile operators and the government claim the situation has improved, but I’m sure you’ll agree it remains dangerous and frustrating.
Now, about the real-life impact of spam calls. While we began with some imagined scenarios, the reality is that people are genuinely suffering from spam calls. Financial losses, emotional distress, and even safety risks are the stark consequences of these malicious activities. Although we may be fortunate enough to have avoided such scams so far, there is no guarantee we won’t be targeted next. Here are two real-life case studies that illustrate the devastating impact of spam calls:
Hyderabad man loses ₹11 lakh to fake SIM deactivation call: Last August, in Hyderabad, a man was scammed out of ₹11 lakh by a caller pretending to be from his telecom provider. The caller warned that his SIM would be deactivated unless he updated his KYC details immediately. The man, believing the urgency, followed instructions and clicked on a malicious link provided by the scammer. He entered his banking credentials, unaware that the link was designed to steal his information. Within hours, ₹11 lakh was drained from his bank account.
Bengaluru techie duped of ₹2.8 crore by gift-cloning scam: In another case that happened just a couple of days ago, a senior software engineer in Bengaluru lost ₹2.8 crore in a sophisticated scam. Fraudsters posing as representatives of a multinational company offered him a lucrative investment and gifted him a high-end smartphone. The techie used the phone for banking and personal communications, unaware that it was embedded with a cloning app that tracked his keystrokes and credentials. Over several weeks, the scammers accessed his bank accounts and siphoned off ₹2.8 crore.
A growing problem beyond calls: It doesn’t stop at calls. We are also targeted by SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, and more. Many of us start our mornings not with tea but with the chore of deleting junk. It’s as if we’re trapped from all corners. Are we easy prey? Sometimes, it feels like it.
Impact on mental health: The constant barrage of spam calls impacts our mental well-being. People feel anxious every time their phone rings, wondering if it’s another fraudulent call. This paranoia, paired with the fear of missing out on genuine calls, adds stress to our already busy lives. It’s a never-ending loop of frustration.
The economic costs: The economic costs of spam calls are equally alarming. Think about the hours wasted dealing with spam—time that could have been used productively. Businesses suffer when employees are distracted by spam calls, and the financial losses from scams are monumental. This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a crisis.
The Indian perspective: What are we doing?: In October last year, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced measures to reduce spam calls and messages. The DoT approached the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for recommendations. While TRAI fines telecom operators for spam on their networks, operators have limited control over telemarketers. Telecom operators suggest penalising telemarketers and businesses behind the spam.
The government’s policies, however, remain inadequate. With 1.15 billion mobile connections as of September 2024, there are no strict rules for acquiring new connections. Even criminals can easily buy and dispose of connections. Telemarketing companies often use personal numbers for business, ignoring special number systems. Despite technological advancements, telecom companies claim they can’t stop spammers—and worse, sometimes collude with them for profit.
How telecom operators benefit: It’s an open secret that telecom operators earn revenue from spammers. The more calls made, the more money they make. This conflict of interest prevents them from taking stringent actions. Even government policies fail to address this issue effectively.
Why the public remains silent: Most people feel helpless against the spam call epidemic. Filing complaints feels cumbersome, and often, the results are unsatisfactory. This apathy allows spammers to thrive, knowing there’s little resistance.
Fighting back against spam calls
- AI and ML: These technologies can monitor calls, messages, and emails, detecting real-time spam patterns. Voice recognition, behavioural analysis, and blockchain solutions can identify suspicious activity. Offenders should face severe penalties to deter unlawful conduct.
- Penalise and Regularise: Marking numbers and emails as spam should lead to tangible actions. Authorities should penalise companies using personal numbers for spamming and hold employees accountable. Personal numbers used for spamming should be criminalised.
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Governments and NGOs should launch campaigns to educate people about the risks of spam calls and how to deal with them. Awareness is the first step towards change.
- Emails as Inspiration: Companies like Google have improved our inboxes, keeping spam away from primary mails. Google’s efforts are far better than what Yahoo and Hotmail managed in their prime times. Telecom companies should adopt similar measures for SMS, calls, and messaging.
- Innovative Solutions: Dynamic Number Shielding (DNS) could periodically change user phone numbers, making it difficult for spammers to track active numbers. Legitimate contacts would be seamlessly updated.
- Stronger Laws and Enforcement: Governments need to enact stricter laws against spam and ensure their enforcement. The penalties should be severe enough to deter offenders.
A call for collective action: Writing this piece has been troublesome for me. I hope it sparks an open discussion about this pressing issue. While immediate change is unlikely, we need the government, authorities, and telecom companies to step up and protect us from losing valuable time, earnings, and peace.
Together, we can demand stricter regulations, push for technological advancements, and educate ourselves and others about this menace. Spam calls are more than just a nuisance—they’re a threat to our security, our economy, and our sanity. Let’s not ignore the issue any longer. The fight against spam calls is a fight for our peace of mind.
