# How truecaller gets mobile number details?



## patkim (Feb 24, 2015)

I just explored truecaller online (not the app) and found that out of two numbers that I searched one was correctly reported and the other showed some other name altogether.


How this truecaller actually captures the mobile number details?  I wonder because the other number should ideally have been reported correctly.


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## ashs1 (Feb 24, 2015)

I think this is how it works. :  

When you install truecaller, check the permissions sections. The moment you click on "I agree/Install", you allow them to get access to your Phonebook. They then update their database using such phonebook entries.


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## Flash (Feb 24, 2015)

When you register to Truecaller (TC), you give your mob# to their database and also your contacts (via permissions ie., EULA).

If you're A, and you have contacts like B, C, D, E - all the mob# of A,B,C,D,E will be stored to TC.
Suppose, B has friends P,Q,R and if he registers - B,P,Q,R will be stored to TC.

Just like Fb, TC will show P,Q,R to A,C,D,E as "Friends you may know", coz B is a friend of A (friends) and A is a friend of C,D,E (friends of friends).


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## RCuber (Feb 24, 2015)

the mother of all privacy violations.. I got it uninstalled from my brothers phone


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## Anorion (Feb 24, 2015)

crowdsourced
uninstalling app wont remove details, to do that, you have to opt out here
*www.truecaller.com/unlist


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## SaiyanGoku (Feb 24, 2015)

^ thanks anorion for the link


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## rhitwick (Feb 24, 2015)

You can't escape it and that's the fact.

Suppose Anyone who has your number has Trucaller installed in his/her mobile, your number is exposed.

Uninstalling it from your mobile you are saving only that person whose number is not with anyone but you. I hope you are getting the big picture here.


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## Flash (Feb 24, 2015)

Where Does Truecaller Get Data? It Doesn't Seem to Work for Me, but if It Did Work, Wouldn't That Raise Privacy Concerns? - Quora


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## cooldude94 (Feb 24, 2015)

Well every company has ways nowdays to easily access your no. Nowdays even sms are sent according to user. It's better to know who is calling you rather than fear of privacy as it no longer exists anyway.


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## patkim (Feb 24, 2015)

> If you're A, and you have contacts like B, C, D, E - all the mob# of A,B,C,D,E will be stored to TC.
> Suppose, B has friends P,Q,R and if he registers - B,P,Q,R will be stored to TC.







> Suppose Anyone who has your number has Trucaller installed in his/her mobile, your number is exposed.



so finally what number / name it actually picks from it's database to be shown as true caller name!
can it be fooled with wrong info entered in the phone book and then install the app and let it upload wrong data??

e.g. My actual name and number is found in true caller. Can I override it this way... I buy another prepaid sim and use a blank phone with just that SIM number enter wrong name but correct number in contact list and install the app. I do it several times and now truecaller has uploaded my number but with a wrong name? 

My perception is that the 'Unlist' link might be yet another trap to source numbers?


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## Anorion (Feb 24, 2015)

nope, unlist link is not to source numbers, but it used to be different before, it was an opt out page, and you could do it without deactivating if you had installed
yes, it can be confused, but only if a large number of people save in a particular name.


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## amit.tiger12 (Feb 24, 2015)

patkim said:


> I just explored truecaller online (not the app) and found that out of two numbers that I searched one was correctly reported and the other showed some other name altogether.
> 
> 
> How this truecaller actually captures the mobile number details?  I wonder because the other number should ideally have been reported correctly.



Okay... 1st of all every apps get permission for whatever media/app/access required with read/write permissions... when you root your device, there is "App Option" app. You need remove permission for those unnecessary things,... like your browser get permission for "read" "contacts", then just turn off permission like this..
*i.guim.co.uk/static/w-620/h--/q-95/sys-images/Technology/Pix/pictures/2013/12/20/1387523152901/app-ops-3up.png

now for truecaller...
that service read your contacts after your installation and upload it to their server... just like that they read everyone's nos and upload it..
okay.. so now for lollipop it was rumoured to come without root.. but you need to root lollipop for that... 
any further questions...???


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## kkn13 (Feb 25, 2015)

why are people so scared of truecaller
you can simply unlist or just register truecaller and change the name to dots or something
thats what I did
truecaller is a boon imho


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## $hadow (Feb 25, 2015)

Damm those permissions. They got into every phone.


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## Flash (Feb 25, 2015)

$hadow said:


> Damm those permissions. They got into every phone.


They're everywhere. We just don't figure it.


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## GhorMaanas (Feb 26, 2015)

kkn13 said:


> why are people so scared of truecaller
> you can simply unlist or just register truecaller and change the name to dots or something
> thats what I did
> truecaller is a boon imho




i find this to be a very handy app! can cut and filter out all useless calls.


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## $hadow (Feb 26, 2015)

Flash said:


> They're everywhere. We just don't figure it.



And this is the reason why I always feel iOS is superior to android. Like in youtube app for android it will straight away take the permission for using your microphone where as on my ipad it wil ask me if I want to give the app the permission to use the microphone and I can disallow it if I want to.


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## Anorion (Feb 27, 2015)

^and the app still installs... also there is granular control, you can pick and choose which permissions to give, instead of yes to all or no to all
donno why Google hasn't figured this out yet


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## thetechfreak (Feb 27, 2015)

kkn13 said:


> why are people so scared of truecaller
> you can simply unlist or just register truecaller and change the name to dots or something
> thats what I did
> truecaller is a boon imho


It's not only what you save as. It's what other save your name as too. Now if you can get everyone to change your dots this should work fine.


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## kkn13 (Feb 27, 2015)

thetechfreak said:


> It's not only what you save as. It's what other save your name as too. Now if you can get everyone to change your dots this should work fine.



no once you register and change your name to dots or soemthing,itll stay that way regardless of what your number is saved as on someone elses phone


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## $hadow (Feb 27, 2015)

Anorion said:


> ^and the app still installs... also there is granular control, you can pick and choose which permissions to give, instead of yes to all or no to all
> donno why Google hasn't figured this out yet



And I want this feature to become as default but they will never do it rather they are very soon going to show add on performing search in google play.


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## kkn13 (Feb 28, 2015)

$hadow said:


> And I want this feature to become as default but they will never do it rather they are very soon going to show add on performing search in google play.



yeah even BB10 has these options for .apk installs as well
strange that android lacks such options whereas BB10 offers them for the very apps


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## $hadow (Mar 1, 2015)

kkn13 said:


> yeah even BB10 has these options for .apk installs as well
> strange that android lacks such options whereas BB10 offers them for the very apps



Somewhere android is tech leading but on many main aspects it is still ages behind.


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## shahid durrani (Mar 5, 2015)

I have a question .. if anybody's deatil do not show in True caller,what that means??


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## ico (Mar 5, 2015)

somebody had my number saved as "Yamdoot".


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## REDHOTIRON2004 (Mar 5, 2015)

kkn13 said:


> yeah even BB10 has these options for .apk installs as well
> strange that android lacks such options whereas BB10 offers them for the very apps



The only reason for that is android is free and mostly open source and BB is not. The revenue is earned by both in a very different way. While providing adds according to your particular taste etc is what google does. 

Blackberry OS is proprietary and app makers dont have the freedom to put all kinds of crapware aaps and adds that easily. As BB doesn't make money like that.


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## kkn13 (Mar 6, 2015)

REDHOTIRON2004 said:


> The only reason for that is android is free and mostly open source and BB is not. The revenue is earned by both in a very different way. While providing adds according to your particular taste etc is what google does.
> 
> Blackberry OS is proprietary and app makers dont have the freedom to put all kinds of crapware aaps and adds that easily. As BB doesn't make money like that.



still its all very strange

even windows phone has joined the same league and now offers app permissions
Hands on with Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 - WMPoweruser


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## $hadow (Mar 6, 2015)

kkn13 said:


> still its all very strange
> 
> even windows phone has joined the same league and now offers app permissions
> Hands on with Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 - WMPoweruser



They have to do it. All they want is more devs coming to their side. But yeah don't know how will the consumer take this.


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## kkn13 (Mar 6, 2015)

$hadow said:


> They have to do it. All they want is more devs coming to their side. But yeah don't know how will the consumer take this.



going by the number of microsoft items on the news,i think they will succeed


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## $hadow (Mar 8, 2015)

kkn13 said:


> going by the number of microsoft items on the news,i think they will succeed



They are certainly advancing a lot faster but still lacking in the certain key areas. They have a comparatively small user base they have to push update more faster.


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## RCuber (Mar 8, 2015)

ico said:


> somebody had my number saved as "Yamdoot".



LOOOL...


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## BryanM35 (Apr 3, 2015)

I really appreciate true caller's features it help to finds contact details globally given name or telephone number, and has an integrated caller ID service to achieve call-blocking functionality and social media integration to keep the phone book up-to-date with pictures and birthdays.


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## amit.tiger12 (Apr 4, 2015)

thread served it's purpose, please close this one. 
mods


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## $hadow (Apr 4, 2015)

In before the close


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## Zangetsu (May 22, 2015)

amit.tiger12 said:


> thread served it's purpose, please close this one.
> mods


Don't close it yet.


But how does truecaller gets FB profile pics ?
I don't have Truecaller installed and called my friend who has TrueCaller installed.

at first truecaller was not showing any ID and only the default name of mine (saved in his contact list) was shown.
then I told him to delete my contact and I called again.

and to my surprise True Caller showed my full name along with FB profile photo..Damn


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## Mr.Reese (May 22, 2015)

Zangetsu said:


> Don't close it yet.
> 
> 
> But how does truecaller gets FB profile pics ?
> ...



Unlist | Truecaller


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## Zangetsu (Dec 3, 2015)

I had changed my name in truecaller app but its not reflected online when checked...why?


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## ariftwister (Dec 3, 2015)

Zangetsu said:


> I had changed my name in truecaller app but its not reflected online when checked...why?



May it had something to do with the recent hacking?


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## vikas tanwar (May 24, 2016)

Well it's idea is very simple, it filters your contact rundown and afterward includes all numbers in your contact rundown to it's online database, along these lines it becomes acquainted with of bunches of numbers from less individuals and when somebody calls a number not in his/her smartphone list truecaller matches that number in it's online db and if discovered shows fundamental points of interest ! quite basic


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