Truecaller Introduces ‘Family Protection’ to Safeguard Households from Scam Calls
In response to the escalating threat of scam calls targeting entire households, Truecaller has unveiled a new feature named ‘Family Protection.’ This initiative allows up to five family members to form a group under the supervision of an administrator who manages scam-blocking settings for the entire household. Initially, this feature is being piloted for Android and iOS users in Sweden, Chile, Malaysia, and Kenya.
The design of ‘Family Protection’ caters to households where a tech-savvy individual can oversee and implement scam controls for less digitally proficient family members. On Android devices, the administrator has the capability to receive alerts during suspected scam calls, monitor basic device statuses such as battery levels, and remotely terminate calls identified as fraudulent.
The surge in scam activities globally, particularly in regions with a growing number of first-time smartphone users and older adults, has highlighted the need for such protective measures. Countries like India have reported significant increases in impersonation attempts and complex schemes exploiting digital unfamiliarity. Truecaller plans to extend ‘Family Protection’ to additional key regions, including India, in the first quarter of 2026.
Truecaller CEO Rishit Jhunjhunwala noted a shift in scam tactics from targeting individuals to entire households. Scammers employ a series of calls, messages, missed-call triggers, and impersonation attempts directed at multiple family members to identify a vulnerable entry point. This trend prompted the development of the multi-user protection system.
‘Family Protection’ is available as a free feature. However, if the family administrator opts for a Premium Family plan, all members benefit from an ad-free experience, enhanced spam defense, and automatic rejection of high-risk calls.
With a global user base exceeding 450 million, Truecaller detects approximately 63 million scam attempts daily, enabling real-time tracking of evolving fraud schemes. The community also reports around 166 million spam calls each day, contributing to one of the largest datasets of phone-based fraud activity worldwide.
In India, Truecaller faces new competition as the government initiates trials of a Caller Name Presentation system, which will display the name registered with telecom providers on incoming calls. In response, Truecaller has been expanding its features beyond caller ID, including the introduction of ‘Family Protection,’ to adapt to regulatory and market changes in India and other key markets.
CEO Jhunjhunwala emphasized that with ‘Family Protection,’ one person’s vigilance now enhances safety for up to five family members, aiming to extend protection without requiring additional effort from users.
