Truecaller

Truecaller is a smartphone application that has features of caller ID, call-blocking, flash-messaging, call-recording (on Android up to version 8), chat and voice by using the Internet. It requires users to provide a standard cellular mobile number for registering with the service. The app is available for Android[1] and iOS.[2]

History

Truecaller is developed by True Software Scandinavia AB, a public company listed in Sweden with a head office in Stockholm, Sweden, founded by Alan Mamedi and Nami Zarringhalam in 2009,[3] but most of its employees are in India.

It was initially launched on

Competitive and regulatory landscape

Truecaller gets about 75% of its revenue from India. The Indian regulatory body TRAI has a competing service for Caller ID based on CNAP (Caller Name Presentation).[24] This would enable caller ID without the use of any apps.[25] There were small tests done in June/July 2024.[26] If this is rolled out pan India, analysts expect this to substantially impact the usage of Truecaller in India.

Indian data privacy act which will come into force in later 2024 is also expected to negatively impact Truecaller in India. When this is in force, Truecaller will not be able to collect and use unconsented data which powers their caller ID database.

In a lawsuit in Nigeria, Truecaller defended[27] their security and privacy policy stating that the users whose phone books were uploaded by Truecaller are the data controllers and that Truecaller is merely a data processor. This is different from Europe where they do not seem to upload users' phone books as it may run afoul of GDPR. There are now 2 more lawsuits against Truecaller in Nigeria seeking to end Truecaller's unconsented data practices (ONWUBUARIRI vs TRUECALLER INTERNATIONAL LLP and OKAFOR vs TRUECALLER INTERNATIONAL LLP).

In Aug/Sep 2024, the Indian regulatory body TRAI started cracking down on tele spammers. They instructed telecom providers to terminate all telecom resources of unregistered tele marketers (UTMs). This enforcement started in late August and is leading to a massive termination of spamming numbers[28] and blacklisting their companies so that they cannot get any phone numbers from any other providers for 2 years. If this is (even partially) successful in disconnecting the top spamming companies, it may lead to a massive reduction in spam calls and thus reducing the number of ads shown by Truecaller.

In Feb 2025, IMY (Integritetsskyddsmyndigheten) which is Sweden's GDPR regulator started an investigation/supervision into the data practices of Truecaller. The decision is awaited.

screenshot alt	TrueCaller Logo.png
developer	True Software Scandinavia
released	July 1, 2009
operating system	Android iOS Wear OS
language	Multilingual
genre	• Telephone directory • Caller ID • Spam blocker
license	Freeware
website	https://www.truecaller.com/

History

Competitive and regulatory landscape

Security and privacy issues

See also

External links

References