Caller identification platform Truecaller has introduced a new safety feature that allows one user to manage and protect members of a family group from potential scam calls. The tool enables a designated admin to receive alerts about suspicious calls received by other members and even disconnect the call remotely if they believe it could lead to fraud.
The feature was first introduced in December in select countries including Sweden, Chile, Malaysia, and Kenya. After early results, the company has decided to expand it globally, including India, its largest market. Truecaller, which has more than 450 million users, said the feature is free and users can create groups even without a paid subscription. A tech-savvy member can act as an admin for a group of up to 5 people. Once members join, the admin receives alerts about potential fraud calls and can remotely end the call if they believe it may harm the user. However, while alerts are available for both iOS and Android users, remote call termination currently works only for Android devices.
On Android, group members can also grant the admin access to certain real-time activity signals such as walking or driving status, battery level, and phone sound settings to check if the device is in silent mode. According to the company, this helps admins monitor elderly family members and contact them only when they are not busy or on the move. Admins can also block specific numbers and international calling codes, and share a blocklist with the entire group. However, Truecaller clarified that admins cannot see non-spam call history or SMS history of group members.
“I think, unfortunately, all of us know somebody or another in our families or friends who have been impacted by fraud,” said Kunal Dua. “In that sense, it’s a fundamental shift for Truecaller in terms of what we’ve been focusing on as a problem,” he added. The company is also exploring AI tools to improve protection. It previously launched an AI voicemail assistant in India that answers calls when users are unavailable and provides transcript summaries. The platform is now testing AI systems that could detect scam-related phrases such as “digital arrest” and automatically disconnect suspicious calls.
Scam calls remain a major concern, particularly in India where the company identified more than 7.7 billion fraud calls last year. Authorities have introduced several measures, including the Caller Name Presentation (CNAP) system that displays caller names registered with telecom providers. Truecaller has argued that showing a caller’s name alone may not reduce spam. During the Q4 2025 earnings call, CEO Rishit Jhunjhunwala said, “In India, there has been much talk about the imminent rollout of CNAP.” He added, “CNAP is partially rolled out, and so far, the impact on our user growth is limited.” The company’s stock has declined more than 80% in the past 12 months, while its EBDITA dropped 49% year-on-year and ad revenue fell 31%.
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