Sick of receiving cold calls? Here's how you can block them.

Dubai: If you have been receiving regular calls from a company, marketing their products or services, you can now block the calls or report them in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Dubai

The ‘Do not disturb’ service, launched by the Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) Sector in Dubai Economy in March this year, is available online. In the first five months of the service being launched, the department received over 750 requests from members of the public to block promotional calls. So, if you wish to use the service, these are the steps you need to follow.

How can I block calls using the ‘Do not disturb’ service?

You can use the service through the following platforms:

1. Online - www.dnd.ded.ae

2. ‘Dubai Consumer’ app, which is available on Apple, Google and Huawei stores

3. Consumer complaint hotline – 600545555.

1. Submitting the complaint online

Enter your full name and contact number.

Enter the name of the company and the number from which you receive the call.

Provide details of your complaint.

Click Submit.

2. Submitting the complaint through the Dubai Consumer app.

Once you download the app, you will receive the option to ‘File a complaint’ on the home page of the app.

Tap on ‘Consumer complaint’.

Enter your name, mobile number and nationality.

Enter the company’s details.

Click Submit.

3. Submitting the complaint through the consumer complaint hotline/

Call 600545555.

Select your preferred language.

Press 1 to file a new complaint.

Leave details of the complaint.

What happens after I have filed the complaint?

As per Dubai Economy, the CCCP team will take prompt action to alert callers and get the consumer’s contact number removed from their database.

Dubai Economy also reminded businesses in Dubai on the need to respect the privacy of consumers and go by their preferences on receiving promotional communication.

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) took to its official social media channels on November 1, 2021, to remind all real estate sector companies not to market services through cold calling. DMT also urged people to report any violations by calling 800 555 or via the “Smart Hub” platform.