Over 5.3bn spam calls reported in SA in 2 months, according to Truecaller

Spam callers continue to target people in South Africa, \with over 5.3 billion incidents reported in just two months.

This has resulted in many smartphone users turning to call-screening apps such as Truecaller to comb through calls. 

Mmathebe Zvobwo of Truecaller said that spam calls affect everyone, and that there's no sign of them slowing down.

“Last year we were at 30 billion calls, so we are actually on track to exceed last year’s rate at this point.”

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She explained that there are three main drivers behind this crisis: the circulation of personal data, telemarketing practices that aren’t aligned with local regulations, and technology that allows criminals to make thousands of calls at almost no cost.

She emphasised that it is not just about the technology, but the networks behind these calls, which are often organised and industrialised.

Zvobwo said that Truecaller works off a community of users that verifies numbers by providing context.

“You can search on Truecaller quite quickly and get a number in terms of who is calling you.

“[It] also utilises the power of our community to tell you who's calling and to give you context so you're able to see that… When you join Truecaller, you become part of that community as well."

She encourages smartphone users to be more aware of how they share their personal data and take steps to protect it.

To listen to Sibiya in conversation with 947’s Drive with Thando, use the audio player below: