Truecaller, a Swedish company known for its caller ID services, has introduced Scam Checker, a new web and Android service. Launched on Sunday, the tool allows users to submit suspicious phone numbers, links, or messages to determine if they are fraudulent, without needing to sign in or use an app.
The free-to-access service relies on reports from Truecaller's community, ScamFeed, and checks submitted links against its proprietary risk database. While Scam Checker aims to help consumers, more detailed information about phone numbers, such as associated names, remains exclusive to Truecaller's existing sign-in service.
Initially rolled out in India, Truecaller plans to expand Scam Checker to Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and Southeast Asia. This expansion comes as scams increasingly occur through text messages, messaging apps, and web links, rather than just phone calls.
The company's shift beyond its traditional caller ID business is influenced by growing pressures in India, its largest market. These include the rollout of the government-backed Calling Name Presentation service and new caller identification features from Apple and Google. Truecaller also noted that India's telecom regulator recently ordered caller-ID apps to share user-submitted spam reports with telecom operators.