Truecaller Expands Scam Detection to Web with New Scam Checker Tool

Truecaller, a Swedish company with over 500 million users, has launched Scam Checker, a new web and Android service that allows users to paste suspicious phone numbers, links, or messages to check for fraud without requiring an app or sign-in. The service leverages Truecaller’s community reports from ScamFeed, which contains about 20,000 active scam reports in India with around 1,300 new reports added weekly. Scam Checker analyzes submitted links by expanding shortened URLs and following redirects to check against Truecaller’s proprietary risk database and other fraud signals. The tool is initially available in India and will expand to Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Truecaller’s CEO, Rishit Jhunjhunwala, noted that scams have evolved beyond phone calls to include messaging apps, SMS, and web links, with a 2025 GSMA survey showing 46% of scam victims in India were approached through messaging apps. The company estimates 14 million monthly web searches for suspicious links and numbers, which influenced the development of Scam Checker. The launch comes as Truecaller faces pressure in India, its largest market with over 350 million users, from telecom operators rolling out government-backed Calling Name Presentation and from Apple and Google adding their own caller ID features. The telecom regulator also ordered caller-ID apps to share spam reports with telecom operators, a move Truecaller criticized as a ‘one-way exchange.’ Truecaller is shifting focus beyond caller ID to address multi-channel scams, with plans to broaden Scam Checker’s capabilities to detect more scam types and allow screenshot uploads for analysis. The company’s core business is evolving as it moves from a caller ID service to a broader scam detection platform, aiming to stay ahead of scammer tactics that have expanded to voice, video, and multiple communication channels.