How to reduce unwanted sales calls in the UAE and where to report them

Register the mobile number receiving the calls. DNCR means Do Not Call Registry, the UAE's national list of numbers that should not receive promotional calls.

Send the following text from that number. 1012 is the SMS service number, not the number of the business calling you.

Keep the confirmation message. du also offers registration through Marketing Preference in its app or My Account; e& offers an online registration page. If confirmation does not arrive, contact your provider. du instructions · e& instructions

No. Registration tells businesses not to make promotional calls; it does not physically block every caller. e& explains that businesses ignoring the register may still get through. Report those calls using the routes below. e& DNCR guidance

A delivery update or a callback you requested is a different situation from an unexpected sales pitch. Describe what the caller was selling when making a complaint.

Kashif helps identify the calling business. The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) introduced it with telecom providers so a business name can appear even when the number is not saved in your contacts. TDRA's Kashif initiative

It is a caller-identification feature, not a call blocker. A displayed name alone is not a reason to share passwords or payment details.

The rules cover businesses across sectors. Under the UAE's telemarketing regulations, UAE-licensed companies must:

• Identify the company and the purpose of the call at the start.
• Ask whether you want to continue before beginning the sales pitch.
• Make marketing calls only between 9 am and 6 pm, UAE time.
• Avoid calling back after you reject the product or service on the first call.
• Avoid promotional calls to numbers on the Do Not Call Registry.

The permitted hours do not override your registration or give a company permission to keep calling. These are requirements in Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2024, particularly Articles 4 and 5. Read the official regulation

Block repeat numbers first, then consider broader filtering. iPhone blocking instructions.

• iPhone: Apple's current guide uses Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers > Silence to send calls from unsaved numbers to voicemail. Apple instructions
• Android using Phone by Google: open Phone > three-dot menu > Settings > Caller ID and spam, then enable Filter spam calls if available. Features and menus vary by device. Google instructions

Silencing unknown numbers can also hide calls from a buyer, courier or school. Save important contacts and check missed calls. A phone's spam-report button does not replace a complaint through your UAE provider or the relevant authority.

Reduce future exposure while keeping useful contact channels open. Our practical suggestions:

• Leave optional phone fields blank when you do not need a callback.
• Read marketing-consent options before submitting enquiry forms.
• Review marketing preferences with businesses you already use.
• Consider a separate enquiry number for public advertisements.

du customers can change du's promotional-contact preferences under Marketing Preference in its app or My Account. du preference guidance

These steps cannot erase copies already held elsewhere. An unexpected call alone does not prove who shared your number.

Use your own telecom provider's reporting channel. Include the number that called you and the call details.

Keep the complaint reference and any response. e& presents its DNCR complaint route for people who remain affected after registration; check your registration first. du reporting guidance · e& reporting guidance

Choose the route that matches the business and the complaint. The provider routes above remain useful across industries; the following are more specific.

For Sanadak, the waiting period is 15 calendar days after submitting your complaint to the institution. Its eligibility check then asks whether there was no written response or the response was unsatisfactory. Other conditions apply. Sanadak does not cover every investment business or anonymous caller.

For other sales calls, start with your telecom provider and ask which authority handles the identified business if further escalation is needed.

Keep a simple record of the calls and your attempts to stop them. Useful details include:

• The caller's number, date and time, with a screenshot of your call history.
• The company name given and the product or service offered.
• Your DNCR confirmation and any written request to stop marketing calls.
• Previous complaint references and responses.

The DLD reporting form asks for contact details, the caller's number and a description, and allows supporting uploads. Say when the company's identity is unconfirmed; do not guess.

Use a polite, clear request through the business's verified contact channel. Adapt this sample:

Hello, I do not wish to receive promotional calls from your company. Please remove my number from your marketing call lists and update my communication preferences. This request concerns marketing only; please keep any necessary account or service communications separate. Please confirm when this has been done. Thank you.

Keep a copy. You do not need to argue with the caller or accept a sales offer to make this request.

Check your registration, add new call details to your complaint and follow up using its reference number. Ask your provider or the relevant authority what further evidence is needed. Use the appropriate escalation route above if the response does not resolve the issue.

Keep phone blocking enabled where useful. Avoid services promising to remove your number from every database: the official steps above offer a practical route without that guarantee.