Sweden-based Truecaller AB, the popular caller ID and spam-blocking app maker, is deploying an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) driven voice-scanning feature to detect computer-generated voices. The company is also bringing real-time caller ID support for iOS users.
AI tools capable of generating convincing voice imitations are becoming alarmingly accessible. This has emboldened fraudsters to exploit unsuspecting users, targeting individuals and corporations.
Truecaller’s CEO Rishit Jhunjhunwala highlights incidents where scammers used synthetic voices of CEOs to trick finance chiefs into authorising large monetary transfers. In other cases, fraudsters impersonate customers to infiltrate companies’ systems, exposing vulnerabilities in corporate operations.
“Criminals are always one step ahead of us,” Jhunjhunwala said. “In emerging markets everything revolves around phones these days, and that’s where bad actors are moving their attention.”
CallHero Ltd., an Israeli cloud telephone company acquired by Truecaller in 2022, is a significant component of this strategy, reports Bloomberg. CallHero’s expertise bolsters Truecaller’s ability to analyse call patterns using large language models, enhancing the company’s data-driven approach to fraud detection.

Jhunjhunwala credited Truecaller for influencing Apple’s decision to open up its ecosystem, stating, “I think we were the biggest driver of Apple making this change.”
As TechCrunch notes, Truecaller has employed a new server architecture and a dedicated encrypted database to improve caller ID functionality. Unlike the existing database designed for Android, this new system is tailored specifically for iOS, ensuring privacy and security.
The innovation lies in holomorphic encryption — a process where computations are performed on encrypted data, eliminating the need for decryption during transmission. Apple’s Phone app sends encrypted requests to Truecaller’s database and receives encrypted responses.
These responses are only decrypted locally on the user’s iPhones, enabling real-time caller identification while maintaining robust data security.
As Truecaller evolves its offerings, it faces growing scrutiny over data privacy. Implementing India’s Data Protection Act presents potential challenges, but Jhunjhunwala emphasised that the company’s global practices align with stringent European Union regulations.
In the News: Indian fintech firm Navi scammed for 14.26 crore