Truecaller (TRUEb.ST) said on Monday that it will soon begin making its caller identification service available through WhatsApp and other messaging apps to help users identify potential spam calls over the internet.
Truecaller Chief Executive Alan Mamedi stated that the feature, which is currently in beta, will be rolled out globally later in May.
Telemarketing and scam calls are on the rise in countries such as India, where users receive an average of 17 spam calls per month, according to a Truecaller report from 2021.
In February, India’s telecom regulator directed carriers such as Jio and Airtel to begin blocking telemarketing calls over their networks with artificial intelligence filters. Truecaller has stated that it is in talks with telecom operators about implementing such a solution.
“Over the last two weeks, we have seen a spike in user reports from India about spam calls over WhatsApp,” Mamedi said, noting that telemarketers switching to internet calling was a relatively new phenomenon.
WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app in India. According to the company, it uses spam detection technology to detect and act on accounts that exhibit unusual behavior, and it allows users to block and report problematic accounts.
Truecaller’s largest market, with 250 million users, is India. It has 350 million users worldwide and generates revenue through advertising, subscription services, and verified business listings.
