First off all tell you that truecaller is an app which tell us the name of the owner of unknown numbers, whichever number we search and also tells us is it a spam number or not.
How Truecaller works?
Truecaller doesn't have its own data it collects the data from our phone. It not only collect the data of our contacts but also can hear the phone calling, private messages etc. Truecaller grab all the data from the phone from the user who uses the app,whoever install the app it takes the data from them and save it in their own server. Then he uses its machine learning and artificial intelligence and from that he came to know that particular a number is saved at which name and also see that number in other devices at what name it is saved, and from that which ever name is common in multiple devices he saves that number with that name in his data base. So whenever you got a call you will see that name displayed in truecaller which ever name is save in his database.
In short it has no data of its own, the app is taking our data and giving us. Due to this our privacy got spoiled as we install that app our whole goes into his server.
Now the question arises which type of data truecaller takes from us?
When You install and use the Services, Truecaller will collect personal information from You and any devices You may use in Your interaction with their Services. This information may include e.g.: geo-location; Your IP address; device ID or unique identifier; device manufacturer and type; device and hardware settings; SIM card usage; applications installed on your device; ID for advertising; ad data, operating system; web browser; operator; IMSI; connection information; screen resolution; usage statistics; default communication applications; access to device address book; device log and event information; logs, keywords and meta data of incoming and outgoing calls and messages; version of the Services You use and other information based on Your interaction with our Services such as how the Services are being accessed (via another service, web site or a search engine); the pages You visit and features you use on the Services; the services and websites You engage with from the Services; content viewed by You, content You have commented on or sent to us and information about the ads You see and/or engage with; the search terms You use; order information and other usage activity and data logged by Truecaller’s servers from time to time.
They have also mention in their privacy policy but who the hell read all the terms and condition and privacy policy let me show you
Now you might be thinking that in this the profit is ours ,it is helping us by giving the name of the unknown numbers and also tells us about the spam numbers
Now let me show you something
here you can see that he the app is taking permission of phone, contacts, camera, location, microphone etc
so he can hear your conversation what you are talking and also take the pictures from your gallery too
We are blaming Facebook and google that they are taking our data but we cant see that there are other companies too
How truecaller earns money?
Truecaller app earns money from three ways
1)The app shows advertisement in his apps
but they earn more money from data sharing rather than adds
2)They sell out the data to third party as they have the data of users location , from that he can know how much user are using this app at a particular location and they also add tags that this particular person is artist or musician or painter etc..
The app also sells the number of big celebrity, as some one must have saved their number so from that they get the number,They verify it by voice by taking access of microphone, Now when you message them i want number of this particular celebrity then they will message you with their price quotation
3)Truecaller of business means if you have a business and have 100 number and every number has saved it as spam numbers, so truecaller takes money from them and remove them from his spam list or they will reduce the spam score so whenever he calls other number the other don't come to know that this is a spam number and he pickup the call
Other than they also run paid version of their app. By giving some amount of fees we can know that who has search our number in true caller and how many searches
So don't install truecaller if you want privacy of your data
How to use truecaller without sharing our data
- First make a new email id by enteing fake information in it
- Then login it with that id in the truecaller web page
- whichever number you want to search , search in truecaller web page
Don't use the app