Loan offers, "70% OFF" sales, property deals, betting links – most of us get more promotional SMS than real messages. The good news is that in India you can block most of them for free in under two minutes, using TRAI's Do Not Disturb (DND) service. This guide shows how to activate DND with 1909, block only the categories you do not want, stop spam in your Messages app, and report fraud SMS – while still receiving your OTPs and bank alerts.
What is DND?
DND (also called the National Customer Preference Register) is a free service from TRAI and all telecom operators. When your number is on DND, registered businesses are not allowed to send you promotional SMS or calls in the categories you have blocked. It works on Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL.
What DND blocks – and what it does not
| Message type | Example | Blocked by DND? |
|---|---|---|
| Promotional | Sale offers, loan offers, property ads | Yes |
| Transactional | OTP, bank debit / credit alerts | No – always delivered |
| Service | Order updates, bill reminders, booking confirmations | No – these still arrive |
| Fraud / scam SMS from personal numbers | "KYC pending, click link" | Not fully – report and block these |
So activating DND does not stop OTPs or bank alerts. You can turn it on without worry.
Method 1: Activate DND by SMS to 1909
- Open your Messages app and create a new message to 1909.
- To block all promotional messages and calls, type FULLY BLOCK and send.
- You will get a reply confirming your request. The block usually becomes active within a day.
You can also call 1909 (toll-free) and follow the voice menu to choose full or partial blocking.
Method 2: Block only some categories
If you still want offers from some types of businesses (for example, travel deals), you can block categories one by one. Send BLOCK followed by the category numbers to 1909 – for example, BLOCK 1,2. The commonly used categories are:
| No. | Category |
|---|---|
| 1 | Banking, insurance, financial products, credit cards |
| 2 | Real estate |
| 3 | Education |
| 4 | Health |
| 5 | Consumer goods and automobiles |
| 6 | Communication, broadcasting, entertainment, IT |
| 7 | Tourism and leisure |
| 8 | Food and beverages |
The reply from 1909 shows the current options, so follow it if the list on your network is different.
Method 3: Use the TRAI DND app or your operator's app
- TRAI DND app: available on the Play Store and App Store. You can set your preferences, see their status and report spam SMS and calls with a few taps.
- Operator apps and websites: MyJio, Airtel Thanks, Vi app and the BSNL portal also have a DND or "Do Not Disturb" section.
Stop spam in your Messages app
- Turn on spam protection. In Google Messages, open the menu → Settings → Spam protection and enable it. Suspected spam goes to a separate folder.
- Block a sender. Long-press the conversation → Block. Be careful not to block your bank's header, or your OTPs and alerts from it will stop too.
- Filter unknown senders on iPhone. Settings → Messages → Filter Unknown Senders. Messages from people not in your contacts go to a separate list.
- Know the sender codes. Business SMS show a header like AX-SHOPXY. TRAI has started adding suffixes such as -P for promotional, -S for service and -T for transactional, which makes promotions easy to spot. A message from a normal 10-digit mobile number offering a loan or prize is a red flag.
How to report spam and fraud SMS
| What you received | Where to report |
|---|---|
| Promotional SMS even after DND | TRAI DND app, or SMS / call 1909 – report as soon as possible after receiving it |
| Suspected fraud, fake KYC, lottery, job scams | Chakshu on the Sanchar Saathi portal (sancharsaathi.gov.in) or app |
| Money lost or fraud attempted | Call 1930 at once or file at cybercrime.gov.in |
When many people report the same sender, operators can take action against it, including disconnecting numbers used for spam. Read our guide on fake SMS and smishing scams to learn the warning signs.
How to deactivate DND
To start receiving promotions again, send UNBLOCK followed by the category numbers to 1909, or change your preferences in the TRAI DND app or your operator's app.
Frequently asked questions
Will DND stop my OTP messages?
No. OTPs and bank alerts are transactional messages and are delivered even on DND numbers. If your OTP is not arriving, see OTP not coming? 12 quick fixes.
I activated DND but still get promotional SMS. Why?
It can take a short time for DND to apply across all senders. After that, report every promotional SMS that still arrives through the TRAI DND app or 1909. Also remember that fraud messages from personal numbers are not "registered promotions" – block and report them on Chakshu.
Is DND free?
Yes. Activating DND, changing categories and reporting spam are all free.
Can businesses send SMS to DND numbers?
Businesses can send transactional and service messages (OTPs, order updates, alerts) using DLT-approved templates. Promotional messages cannot be sent to numbers that have blocked that category, and they are allowed only between 9 AM and 9 PM.
Are you a business? Respecting DND keeps your sender ID safe and your messages trusted. Talk to our team – DigitalSMS4U handles DLT templates and the right routes for promotional, service and OTP SMS, so your messages reach customers without complaints.
