Truecaller Launches Scam Checker to Combat Online Fraud

Truecaller Expands Anti-Scam Efforts with New Service

In a significant move in the fight against online fraud, Truecaller has launched Scam Checker, a new service designed to help users verify suspicious phone numbers, links, and messages for scam indicators without the need for a mobile app or account sign-in. The service became available on Sunday and is initially rolled out in India, with plans to expand to other regions such as Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Features of Scam Checker

Truecaller’s Scam Checker allows users to paste a questionable phone number, link, or message into the tool to check for scam-related reports gathered from its community. The service pulls data from Truecaller’s crowdsourced feed known as ScamFeed, which hosts current scam reports submitted by users. However, users seeking more detailed information about a specific phone number, such as the associated name, must still access the main Truecaller app, which requires a sign-in.

To operate effectively, the Scam Checker expands all shortened URLs before analyzing them against Truecaller’s proprietary risk database, alongside evaluating other potential fraud signals. Users can also input messages, from which the service can extract relevant phone numbers or links to verify.

Adapting to Evolving Scam Tactics

The launch of Scam Checker comes at a time when scams are proliferating across various channels, surpassing just voice calls. According to a 2025 survey by GSMA, around 46% of Indian adults reported being scammed through messaging apps, while 37% cited SMS as a method and 32% through voice calls. This exemplifies the shifting landscape of scams that now frequently target users through text and web links.

Truecaller’s CEO, Rishit Jhunjhunwala, explained that the new service was developed following analyses that observed approximately 14 million searches monthly on web platforms by users checking the authenticity of suspicious links and phone numbers. “When you need it, you’re usually somewhere else. The link shows up on WhatsApp. Your mum gets a message about a traffic fine. A friend forwards you a screenshot and asks, ‘Is this real?’” Jhunjhunwala remarked, highlighting the necessity for immediate verification in various contexts.

Community Engagement in Fraud Detection

The Truecaller community plays an integral role in enhancing the Scam Checker’s effectiveness. Currently, there are approximately 20,000 scam reports available on ScamFeed in India, with around 1,300 new reports submitted weekly. In the recent past, the company reported evaluating nearly 12.9 billion messages globally and flagging over 20 million as fraudulent.

In upcoming updates, Truecaller is set to widen the range of scams that the Scam Checker can identify and plans to introduce the option for users to upload screenshots for additional analysis, further bolstering its fraud detection capabilities.

Facing Growing Challenges in Caller ID Market

As Truecaller pushes beyond traditional caller ID services, it confronts increasing competition and regulatory pressures, particularly in India—its largest market with more than 350 million users. With telecom operators beginning to deploy government-sponsored Caller Name Presentation services, and tech giants like Apple and Google enhancing their own caller identification features, Truecaller is adapting its strategy accordingly.

The Indian telecommunications regulator has mandated caller ID applications to collaborate with telecom operators by sharing user-submitted spam reports, a move that Truecaller criticized, referring to it as a “one-way exchange.”

Jhunjhunwala emphasizes the need for the company to evolve alongside the rapidly changing environment of scams, stating, “Caller ID was the first problem we solved, and it’s still how most people find us. But scams have moved to a more multi-channel approach with links and messages; our protection has to follow the scammer.”