Truecaller report: India hit by 4,168 crore spam calls in 2025

More than 770 crore fraudulent calls were made by threat actors impersonating officials from banks, government authorities, payment platforms, and well-known brands.

India, which has more than 140 crore people, is the fastest and second biggest phone market globally. This attracts telemarketing companies and cyber criminals to target naive users.

As per latest report, Indians, particularly senior citizens, most affected by digital arrests, lost Rs 54,000 crore.

Premium caller identity service provider, Truecaller, in its 'Insights India' 2025 report, has revealed a shocking number of spammer calls and messages were sent to citizens.

Truecaller reportedly recorded more than 4,168 crore spam calls across India in 2025. Of these, 1,189 crore unwanted calls were blocked by Truecaller users.

Also, 770 crore fraudulent calls were made by threat actors impersonating officials from banks, government authorities, payment platforms, and well-known brands.

“In a country where connectivity is powering opportunity at every level, trust has become our most valuable digital asset. Fraud today is not just a technical problem; it is a human one. It exploits fear, urgency, and uncertainty in moments that matter most. Our responsibility is to make sure that no Indian has to choose between staying connected and staying safe. Our focus at Truecaller is simple: help people stay connected without compromising their safety and stopping risk before it turns into loss,” said Rishit Jhunjhunwala, CEO, Truecaller.

Besides fraud calls, spam messaging also remained a major concern. During the year, over 12,903 crore spam SMS were identified, with volumes increasing significantly in the second half of 2025, noted Truecaller.

The data in the report was aggregated anonymously from metadata and spam classification signals of Truecaller users in India between January 1 and December 31, 2025.

The Truecaller app also offers the option to flag and block such numbers. And, the subscribers were able to prevent 1,189 crore calls from reaching smartphone users in India.

On average, Indian users spend around 1.8 minutes during spam call interactions. Thanks to the options to report and blocking features, Indian Truecaller users were able to avoid approximately 21.7 lakh hours of wasted time every day, and more than 1.5 crore hours every week.

Whenever, you receive any fraud calls or messages with threats like digital arrest, bank account freezing, the only thing is that the phone user must never panic. Read the messages thoroughly, and if there is any doubt, call the official bank number or head to the nearest bank branch. In case of threats of arrests, just reject the calls, as there is no concept of 'digital arrest' in the country or anywhere in the world.

Here's how to safeguard yourself from phishing attempts:

1) If you receive an email or message from a person with a familiar name or social media app, or even a government agency, read it carefully. Cyber crooks use fear and tell you to click on a URL link or a PDF to get more information. Do not press any link or download any file.

The government, tech firm or banks do not ask citizens to share their personal or financial details through messenger apps

2) Never install APK files or any apps from third-party app stores or links marketed on social media platforms. Always download apps from Google Play, Apple App Store, or Microsoft Windows Store

3) Never share online account details such as Gmail IDs, bank customer IDs and passwords on messenger apps or on emails with anybody or type details on an online form on a website published by an unknown company

4) Always update your smartphones and computers to the latest version to protect yourself from new emerging cyber threats

5) It is a good practice to install an anti-virus application from a well-known publisher on your device. Once installed, ensure to turn on the safe browsing feature

In India, if you fall victim to online fraud, immediately call toll-free 1930. It is run by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, and once you share the bank transaction details, they will be able to trace and freeze the mule bank accounts. Ensure you call them within one hour, as there will be a higher chance of blocking the cyber criminals from withdrawing the ill-got money.

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