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As scammers increasingly use AI-generated voices, fake KYC alerts, and caller ID spoofing, distinguishing between a genuine caller and a fraudster is becoming harder than ever. With India now among the world’s most spam call-affected countries, cyber experts warn that awareness and caution are the strongest defences against evolving phone scams. This edition of The Safe Side digs deeper into spam calls that turn into scams.
It can begin with an ordinary phone call. A student rushing to class ignores a call marked “loan offer”, while a retired government employee might answer a call from someone claiming to be from a bank’s KYC department. A simple conversation of a few minutes can lead to the caller asking for an OTP “to verify the account”. By the time the victim realises something is wrong, the hard-earned money has already been withdrawn.
Such incidents are slowly becoming common as “spam calls” evolve from mere telemarketing nuisances into sophisticated fraud attempts. Several people receive unknown calls every day, and distinguishing between a legitimate caller and a scammer is becoming harder — and awareness is the first line of defence.
According to the latest data released by Truecaller, India is now the fifth most spammed country in the world. Indonesia tops the list, followed by Chile, Vietnam, and Brazil. The insights are based on anonymised and aggregated data from Truecaller, which has over 500 million users globally. In 2025 alone, the platform identified more than 68 billion spam and fraud calls worldwide.
According to the data, India also features prominently in regional rankings, recording a spam intensity of 66 per cent, placing it among the top five most affected markets globally. The nature of spam calls in India reveals a strong commercial bias, with sales and telemarketing calls accounting for 36 per cent, followed by financial services at 18 per cent. Scams contribute 12 per cent of all spam activity.
‘Millions encountering high-stakes fraud attempts daily’
Rishit Jhunjhunwala, CEO, Truecaller, told indianexpress.com, “While a significant portion of spam in India is commercial, pure scams currently contribute to 12 per cent of all spam activity. However, the line is increasingly blurring. What starts as a telemarketing pitch for a loan can often be a gateway for predatory lending or data phishing.”
With India recording a spam intensity of 66 per cent, placing us fifth globally, the sheer volume means that millions of Indians are encountering high-stakes fraud attempts every single day, he pointed out.
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Jhunjhunwala added, “Digital arrest scams are currently one of the most sophisticated and psychologically damaging trends we are observing. More so because of the scale of losses victims can suffer, with scammers often managing to wipe out entire life savings.”
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He opined that scammers easily impersonate law enforcement and use fake documents or arrest warrants to create panic.
“We are also seeing a massive surge in intent-based fraud, such as fake parcel scams, where users are told a restricted item has been found in their name. These aren’t random; they are targeted attacks using leaked personal data to make the interaction feel authentic from the first second. The fake challan scam is also very popular these days,” Jhunjhunwala added.
Advanced tech to make fraud calls appear legitimate
According to Jhunjhunwala, the world has entered the machine era of spam as scammers are now using automated systems running at a scale no individual can match. “Many are also using generative AI to clone the voices of friends or family members, often needing only a few seconds of audio from social media to create a convincing replica. Truecaller has an AI Call Scanner built into its Premium offering, which can help identify AI-generated voices,” he said.
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‘Fraudsters cast the widest net possible’
According to Varun Grover, Business Unit Head, mFilterIt, the reason people fall for spam scams isn’t carelessness; it’s because fraudsters have perfected the art of sounding genuine. “They don’t filter victims; they cast the widest net possible, using familiar identities to manufacture trust in seconds,” he said.
“Caller ID spoofing remains a challenge, where scammers manipulate network protocols to show police or a bank’s official toll-free number. Truecaller is moving beyond just identifying who is calling to identifying the intent behind the call, using AI and real-time community feedback to analyse call patterns and behaviours to flag a threat even if the name looks legitimate,” Jhunjhunwala explained.
Simply answering a spam call can expose to risk
“Answering an unknown call is the first step in a fraud funnel. Simply saying hello followed by a few words can provide enough audio for a basic voice clone. More commonly, answering confirms that your number is active and human, which immediately increases its value on the dark web, leading to a barrage of further attempts,” Jhunjhunwala opined.
“We also see migration fraud, where a scammer uses the initial call to build enough trust or fear to move the conversation to other third party platforms, where they can send malicious links or fake official documents to complete the theft,” he added.
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Scammers can pass through telecom regulations
Cyber security expert Shubham Singh said that users are strongly advised to actively use the TRAI DND app to safeguard themselves from spam calls and SMS. “The app also allows users to report fraudulent numbers directly, helping telecom operators and regulators take faster action against scam networks,” he said.
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However, Jhunjhunwala said that regulation does provide a lock on the door, but scammers are constantly finding new ways to pick that lock. “Historically, one major reason was bad actors obtaining bulk SIM cards and the low cost of automated robocalling technology. Today, network-level solutions often rely on static datasets, which are easily manipulated. The scale of the problem is massive. Truecaller identified 68 billion spam and fraud calls globally in 2025 alone. To stay safe, India needs a collaborative approach where regulation is bolstered by community-led, real-time AI intelligence that can evolve as fast as the scammers do,” he said.
Practical steps to handle spam calls
Varun Grover said, “The defence starts with behaviour: never act on a spontaneous call alone.”
The experts list the following words of caution:
📍 Always verify suspicious claims through official customer care numbers, websites, or apps instead of trusting the caller.
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📍 Treat urgency and panic tactics as major red flags commonly used by scammers.
📍 Pause before reacting — take time to think, analyse, or consult friends and family before sharing any information or making payments.
📍 Never share OTPs, passwords, UPI PINs, CVV numbers, bank details, or government ID information over phone calls.
📍 Legitimate banks, telecom companies, police departments, or government agencies never ask for sensitive credentials during unsolicited calls.
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📍 Avoid clicking on links received through SMS or downloading attachments from unknown numbers or third-party messaging apps.
📍 Fraudsters increasingly use fake KYC alerts, banking impersonation, social engineering, and AI-driven tactics to manipulate users.
📍 Use caller ID and spam-filtering tools such as Truecaller or built-in phone spam protection features to identify suspicious numbers.
📍 If a number is flagged as spam or scam, avoid answering the call.
📍 Immediately disconnect calls that create fear, pressure, or confusion.
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📍 Never call back numbers provided during suspicious calls; instead, manually search for verified contact details through official websites.
📍 Spam calls are increasingly evolving into organised cyber fraud operations targeting India’s growing digital payment ecosystem.
📍 Any suspicious financial activity or cyber fraud should be reported immediately to the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or the government cybercrime reporting portal.
📍 Experts say brands and companies must proactively warn customers about what information they will never seek over calls and actively monitor for impersonation scams.
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The safe side
As the world evolves, the digital landscape does too, bringing new opportunities and new risks. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, exploiting vulnerabilities to their advantage. In our special feature series, we delve into the latest cybercrime trends and provide practical tips to help you stay informed, secure, and vigilant online.
