The incidence of online scams is increasing in India, with fraudsters using phone calls, text messages, and instant messaging apps like WhatsApp to deceive people. WhatsApp, which has roughly 500 million active users in India each month and is owned by Meta, is particularly susceptible to scammers seeking to expand their reach and obtain peoples hard-earned money. To address the growing problem of WhatsApp scams, Truecaller has teamed up with Meta to assist users in detecting and blocking spam messages on the platform.Truecaller, a software that provides caller ID and spam blocking services, is preparing to expand its caller identification feature to include WhatsApp and other messaging apps to assist users in detecting possible spam calls made over the internet. According to Reuters, the feature is now in the beta phase and will be launched worldwide later in May. Truecallers CEO, Alan Mamedi, revealed this development to Reuters.Image source: tse2.explicit.bing.netThe report indicates that Truecaller intends to introduce a caller identification service for WhatsApp and other messaging apps in May. This feature is designed to assist users in detecting and preventing spam messages.Alan Mamedi, the co-founder and CEO of Truecaller, has acknowledged that spam calls are a significant issue in countries like India, where users typically receive around 17 unwanted calls each month. Mamedi revealed that Truecaller is collaborating with telecom companies such as Reliance Jio and Airtel to develop an AI-based solution for filtering out telemarketing calls on their networks, as recommended by Indias telecom regulator, TRAI.Mamedi stated that there has been a recent increase in user reports from India regarding spam calls over WhatsApp in the past two weeks. He explained that this is a new trend where telemarketers are using internet calling to contact people.Truecallers 2021 report reveals that India is among the countries where users experience a significant number of telemarketing and scam calls, with an average of 17 spam calls received per month. In response to this issue, the Indian telecom regulator TRAI has directed carriers like Jio and Airtel to use artificial intelligence filters to prevent unwanted calls on their networks. Truecaller has also collaborated with telecom operators to implement this solution.Image source: tse2.mm.bing.netMamedi also noted that WhatsApp is widely used in India and around the world, and there has been an increase in spam calls through the app. Truecaller plans to use its spam detection technology to identify and take action against such callers, as well as allowing users to block and report them. In light of the growing problem of spam in India, Mamedi stated that Truecaller is committed to helping users take action against spam callers using its detection technology.The caller ID detection feature is currently in the beta version and will be released to all users in future app updates. Those who wish to test the feature can become beta testers.To use Truecallers spam detection feature for WhatsApp, first, join the Truecaller beta program on the Google Play Store. This can be done by searching for Truecaller on the Play Store, scrolling down to the Become a beta tester section, and tapping on the Join button. After a while, search for Truecaller on the Play Store again and install the beta update.Next, open Truecaller and go to Settings. Tap on Caller ID and turn on the toggle for Identify unknown number in WhatsApp and other messaging apps. Once the feature is available, users can test it and report any bugs or feedback to Truecaller.
