[CarJunki]

TrueCaller has inverted the data stealing and selling problem by outsourcing the data leak to users. Every user is leaking data of others who probably do not want their information out in the open.

By the way TrueCaller stores the entire database in open for anyone to get access to it.

[vinit.merchant]

I have avoided true caller so far and will continue to do so.
I use an Android One (Mi A1) handset and the in-built phone app provides this facility of flagging a possible spam.
There is even a setting of completely blocking these spam numbers. Had been using that and it was a complete peace of mind, until the day when my Uber driver was calling me and it got blocked, as his number was probably tagged as Spam by some (perils of crowd sourcing). From that day I have removed the auto-block feature, and I manually block it whenever I see a "suspected spam" message on incoming calls.
I am OK to not know the caller ID, as that is probably the only advantage that truecaller might be offering over and over this existing feature in the phone app.

[Justin]

I ain't using it, the reason being, I don't want to share my contact list with them. I have the habit of including all the details of the person known to me which I don't want to share, not even the nick I provided to a contact. If it was just numbers and names, I wouldn't mind though as it would anyway be already provided by other users.

Same goes to any application I install, always checks the permissions needed by them and only tick what is really required. There are some applications which doesn't run even if 1 permission is not granted, that goes from my phone right away. In fact, I have used TrueCaller before when contact sharing permission wasn't a must.

[Nav-i-gator]

If ever there is an app hat is actually useful, its truecaller for me. I'm not a privacy paranoid as such and anyways my phone number is out there (that's why I am getting these telecalls).
I have enabled live tracing and dont pick a call if it shows as a spam in truecaller. Sometimes, due to network speeds, truecaller is not able to identify a call in time and I still dont pick up (I let it be a missed call). If truecaller identifies it as someone I know, I call back.

[Ravi Parwan]

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

...
I use an Android One (Mi A1) handset and the in-built phone app provides this facility of flagging a possible spam.
....

Totally agree to that. I guess even Mi is offering this as a built-in app, as I get similar warnings on unknown numbers on the Mi-10.
In a way, this is a validation of the value of truecaller. The feature is found so useful by the manufacturers that they are introducing it within their own suites.

[Biker Ram]

In principle I'm against the very idea of someone collating contacts list from millions of people and sharing it directly or indirectly, fully or partially with others. Agreed that nothing on smart phones is fully safe these days and different apps have access to a variety of data on the phone, but there is nothing wrong in expecting some privacy. To give an analogy, forwarding a personal picture to someone privately only to find that they have put it on their FB wall or Whatsapp status for everyone to see. You as the owner of the picture have a right in deciding how it's reused.

That said, I do agree True Caller is very useful for some people who have to deal with a lot of calls from unknown numbers or those whose numbers get shared publicly. But I think True Caller mines most of its data from unsuspecting average Joe who doesn't think much before installing it.

[landcruiser123]

@mods: Please include a poll as most forum members are at the extremes.

Google Pixel's call screening has worked so far for me, so haven't found the need for truecaller. I'm open to using it when needed.

Unless you have a phone number that is not in a single database i.e. should not be linked to any service(barring the network provider), your number is registered in multiple databases.

[veyron_head]

Like a lot of others I can't live without true caller. Being in a customer facing role, I dont have the luxury of putting my mobile on silent mode. But dont want to pick up all calls either. With TC , am able to filter 90% of spam calls. While I am worried about sharing my info, any one in my 1000s of contacts could have given my phone number to tC already. Its a losing battle!

By the way, my note 10+ comes with an inbuilt spam blocked called Hiya. It seems to be a app like TC but comes inbuilt. Their privacy policy is scary though. They are very upfront they would send my info to samsung and any other business partner they feel like. Anyone has any experience with Hiya?

[StarrySky]

I had installed Truecaller a few years back, but uninstalled it due to privacy concerns. Anyway after I moved out of India, I haven't really had a problem with spam calls. Whenever I am in India, the native phone app on my Nokia phone does a decent job of flagging suspected spam calls, though it is not perfect.

Anyway after seeing this thread, I went to the Truecaller website to check if my number is listed. My Finland phone number is not listed. My Indian phone number is listed. This wasn't really surprise, but what shocked me was my FB profile pic showing up with my number. Now, I haven't provided my phone number in FB, and I'm quite sure that I didn't link Truecaller and my FB profile when I used the app years ago. So I really don't know how this happened.

[Renjith Rajan]

From Truecaller's privacy policy.

When You install and use the Services, Truecaller will collect personal information from You and any devices You may use in Your interaction with our Services. This information may include e.g.: geo-location; Your IP address; device ID or unique identifier; device manufacturer and type; device and hardware settings; SIM card usage; applications installed on your device; ID for advertising; ad data, operating system; web browser; operator; IMSI; connection information; screen resolution; usage statistics; default communication applications; access to device address book; device log and event information; logs, keywords and meta data of incoming and outgoing calls and messages; version of the Services You use and other information based on Your interaction with our Services such as how the Services are being accessed (via another service, web site or a search engine); the pages You visit and features you use on the Services; the services and websites You engage with from the Services; content viewed by You, content You have commented on or sent to us and information about the ads You see and/or engage with; the search terms You use; order information and other usage activity and data logged by Truecaller’s servers from time to time. Truecaller may collect some of this information automatically through use of cookies and You can learn more about our use of cookies in our Cookie Policy.

They get tremendous amount of information about you for the kind of service they provide. The potential of this data is huge. It is not simple your contacts and their contacts.

[pradeepkc]

I resisted installing truecaller for a while after I moved back. For the most part I wouldn't pick up calls from unknown numbers. With the home construction activity picking up, I caved in and installed truecaller to be able to identify if I am getting a spam call or genuine call.

I must say it has helped, but I hope I don't pay the price for it in future.

[jagira]

Originally Posted by Renjith Rajan

From Truecaller's privacy policy.



They get tremendous amount of information about you for the kind of service they provide. The potential of this data is huge. It is not simple your contacts and their contacts.

Exactly. A lot of people in this thread are okay with sharing their contact info, and it's okay as your contact info is already with a lot of people (cab companies, banks, restaurants, delivery guys, etc.). But the scary part is sharing your call logs with a third party. Imagine someone knowing with whom you talk, at what time you talk, how many times you talk, etc. Any information uploaded to a cloud service will eventually get leaked or acquired. What if FB acquires Truecaller. They can map all text messages and call logs to your friend graph. Their algos are smart enough to figure out what's going on in your life by looking at those details. Maybe they will use it for slightly innocent purpose like advertising or maybe they will use it for evil purpose like what Cambridge Analytica did. Who knows!

Imagine FB figuring out if you are dating someone or you are going through a divorce or you are booking an appointment for some serious surgery just by looking at your call logs and then use their algos to take advantage of your emotional state.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by Eddy

I am totally against using TrueCaller. In fact, I even went to their website and de-listed my number. Now nobody can know it is me calling.

How does one do that? I visited their website for the first time yesterday and couldn't find any option to delist my number.

Originally Posted by StarrySky

the native phone app on my Nokia phone does a decent job of flagging suspected spam calls, though it is not perfect.

Anyway after seeing this thread, I went to the Truecaller website to check if my number is listed. My Finland phone number is not listed. My Indian phone number is listed. This wasn't really surprise, but what shocked me was my FB profile pic showing up with my number. Now, I haven't provided my phone number in FB, and I'm quite sure that I didn't link Truecaller and my FB profile when I used the app years ago. So I really don't know how this happened.

OnePlus also now shows the caller-id for the most part but is not very accurate. The amazon delivery guys' phone numbers are generally flagged as spam.

From my understanding, you don't need to provide the info. The app gets your details from any other Truecaller user who would have saved all your details, phone number, FB Id, email, etc as a single entity in his/her phone. So, there is no real way of protecting your privacy unless you can ensure all your friends and acquaintances also do not use Truecaller, which is impossible and that is the scary part. The flip side is, companies like Google, your phone manufacturer, etc already have this info, so now just one more company.

Apart from not posting personal details on social media, as an individual, there is very little control you have over who gets access to your data. It is the regulatory bodies who need to come up with proper laws around the data usage and sharing.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

How does one do that? I visited their website for the first time yesterday and couldn't find any option to delist my number.
.

https://www.truecaller.com/unlisting

[ABHI_1512]

I am a dinosaur perhaps but then that’s not the point. Somehow these third party apps that wants to access your phonebook always sounded a scary prospect for me. Have not installed True caller and perhaps I am of the few who doesn’t have a Paytm or Google pay as well. All these digital payment gateways don’t excite me. IOS is better in terms of security issues than Android and cuts out unwanted apps. Have installed only few apps on my phone and also helps the phone remaining clutter free.

True caller might have advantages but one thing that I have done is register my mobile in the DND list of the operators to avoid unwanted calls. Of course they still happen but not as random as it used to happen earlier. Pesky calls don’t happen too often and those who do get through have to deal with me not picking up random numbers from Tirupati or Ahmedabad !