WHAT IS TRUECALLER ? HOW TRUECALLER WORKS? IS TRUECALLER SAFE TO USE?

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What is Truecaller?

Truecaller is basically a mobile application developed by True Software Scandinavia AB in 2009 that finds mobile number details, who are either using this app or their phonebook contacts are synced and have an integrated caller ID service to achieve call-blocking functionally and social media integration to keep the phonebook up-to-date. 
In a simple way, Truecaller is a mobile application, by which you can find the details of the owner of any particular mobile number.

What is truecaller

How Truecaller Works?

Truecaller working is very simple, whenever any person downloads their application, Truecaller takes all the contact information of that person from their mobile phone, and stores that information in their database. In this way, Truecaller creates a huge database of users and their connection information. So, Truecaller uses this data to provide you the information about unknown numbers and this process is called Crowd-Sourcing.
After collecting the user information, Truecaller applies their machine learning to analyze their data and make a common and meaningful correlation between them, and find a better name, and surname of every person, map it into their database and whenever you receive a call from unknown numbers then it finds that number in his database and shows you the name of that unknown person.

Is Truecaller Secure to Use?

Truecaller is having a lot of security concerns. Before we talk about Truecaller is secure or not, first let talk about what personal data Truecaller collects, and what’s the app permission of this app.

What Personal Data Truecaller Collect?

According to the Truecaller website, if you see their privacy policy when install and use their services they collect the following personal data from your mobile phone.
  • Your IP address.
  • Geographical location.
  • Facebook page.
  • Device manufacturer and type.
  • Device ID or unique identifier.
  • Device and hardware setting.
  • SIM card usage.
  • Applications installed on your device.
  • Ad data.
  • Email ID. 
  • Photo and gender.
  • Zip code, address, and country.
  • Content viewed by you.
  • Keywords and metadata of incoming and outgoing calls and messages.
  • Device log and event information.
  • Default communication applications.
  • Access to the device address book.
  • IMSI.
  • Screen resolution.
  • Operating system.
  • Web browser.
  • The content you have commented on.
  • Your order information.

Truecaller App permission

If you see their app permission, they will take your following permissions
  • Camera permission.
  • Location permission.
  • Microphone permission in which they can record your audio.
  • SMS permission in which they read and send messages.
  • Storage permission in which they can modify or delete the contents of your SD card.
  • Contact permission in which they modify your contacts, and many other permissions like answering Your phone calls.
  • Pair with Bluetooth devices.
  • Disable your lock screen, and much more.
Even more serious, Truecaller is recording your clipboard, which means if you copy and content like your password, your card number then it is transferred or recorded in the Truecaller database.
So, Truecaller collects a huge amount of data from your mobile phone, if that is okay for you, Truecaller definitely is safe. But if your personal data have some value then it is definitely not safe for you.

How Truecaller Makes Money?

So Truecaller mainly makes in different-different ways.
  • Advertisement.
  • Data sharing.
  • Truecaller for Business.

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Truecaller earns a huge amount of money from advertising with proper ads viewing experience, which means they show ads on their website and in the mobile app they show ads and even in between call history of Truecaller they show ads.
If you don’t want to see ads then you have to purchase their premium subscriptions.

Data Sharing

In today’s world, the cost of data is much costlier than a currency, it costs more than you think. Truecaller earns a huge amount of money from selling your data to third party websites and partners. They collect data from their users, filter all data and sell all your data to advertisers. 
Even if you want to know the number of famous personalities then you need to contact Truecaller and then they will send you a quotation by which they will tell you how much money you will need to buy a number of that person.

Truecaller for Business

Truecaller also earns a huge amount of money from their Truecaller for business, which means when a company lists its number in Truecaller Business, so they reduce all your number’s spam score which are most spammed by the users. Basically, they whitewashed your company’s mobile number. For doing this Truecaller takes a huge amount of money from those companies. 
And they also give a paid version of their mobile application by giving $0.99 in a month, so they will tell you the details peoples who searched your mobile number on Truecaller by SMS or notification depending either they are on Truecaller or not and also remove ads from your Application.

Trick to use Truecaller without giving data

So, now I will tell you how to protect your data from Truecaller and use all the features of Truecaller, I mean find all details of unknown numbers without giving your private data to Truecaller. So, firstly make a separate Gmail account, open Truecaller on your laptop or desktop and sign in using that separate Gmail account. When you need to search a number then search it in your desktop or laptop where that blank Gmail account is signed-in on Truecaller.
Remember don’t save any data in that Gmail account like any mobile number, photos, and even don’t link your phone number to that Gmail account. By this, they will not able to collect any type of data and not try this is in your mobile browser.
So, by using this trick, you will able to find details on any mobile number without giving your data to Truecaller. But remember there is a limit of 5-10 numbers which you can find details in a day.

How truecaller works

How to remove your details from Truecaller?

Remove your phone number from Browser

If you want to unlist your mobile number from Truecaller’s database you need to first open the Truecaller unlist page on your browser, you see a unlist page then select your country and enter your mobile number with country code and fill re-captcha and then click unlist and then it will ask you to why you want to remove your number from the Truecaller, so select any of the listed reason.
Now, your mobile number will be removed from the Truecaller database and sometimes it takes up to 24 hours to update your request. 

Remove your phone number from Smartphone

If you want to unlist your mobile number from the Truecaller app, then first you need to deactivate the account. Without deactivating your account you can not unlist mobile number.
Android: Open app > Tap on three dots strips menu at the top right corner > Setting > Privacy center > Deactivate.
iOS: Open app > Tap on three dots strips menu at the top right corner > About > Deactivate.
So, what’re your thoughts about Truecaller, let me know in the comments.

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