Apps like Truecaller needful?

[Biffos]

Are apps like Truecaller useful at all(?): https://beebom.com/truecaller-alternatives/

And what drawbacks do they have? Truecaller does not seem to be very safe, obviously it has some security issues. Perhaps the others have also.

And if yes, which of those apps are to recommend if any?

 

[Dannydet]

Youmail....
But I see it's not on the list.
But works fine for me, free version

 

[Hadron]

Necessary? Well in a decade of using Android I've never installed one, so my answer is of course "no". But my needs may be different from yours, so I can't really answer that first question.

 

[Biffos]

Youmail....
But I see it's not on the list.

I do not have one yet, so it is good to know.

Necessary? Well in a decade of using Android I've never installed one, so my answer is of course "no". But my needs may be different from yours, so I can't really answer that first question.

Well, I just read about some good sounding features (I do not know of if I really "need" them), so that is why I asked. But may be there are more issues than advantages with such an app.

 

[Dannydet]

Need? That is up to the individual.
I use it because I used to get 10 or more spam calls a day.
Now I get 0....

 

[Biffos]

!0? That's a lot.

 

[svim]

Truecaller does pull in your phone number and contact info into its databases so it can provide the blocking services it provides. A lot of those same alternatives have to do the same thing. Truecaller did get hacked into and their database data compromised, so that's a notable ding on their record. But there are very few, if any, online services that can claim they haven't had problems securing their servers.
A big problem in today's Internet is so many people are paranoid about their online privacy so they're very reactionary to any and all such revelations. They expect the same level of service and benefits, but without having to divulge any information about themselves to make those services actually work. Add in the corporate greed factor, (Facebook being a good example) and this only muddies the situation as a lot of people then mistakenly assume all data mining is bad, basically just making prejudiced accusations at any service accumulating data whether it's to provide a useful service or just to make profits.

 

[Biffos]

Yes, very understandable. So better only use such apps if one knows that one really needs those features.

 

[steiny180]

H i Y a . . .

 

[tube517]

That's an old article from 2018.

I've used True Caller, Hiya, Mr. Number, the built in blocker in the dialer/contacts app, Vlad's 2 callblocking apps.

Youmail tops all of them. Like dannydet, my spam calls get blocked more than the apps above.

 

[Biffos]

That's an old article from 2018.

Sorry, what does that mean? So there are no issues, drawbacks anymore today?

I've used True Caller, Hiya, Mr. Number, the built in blocker in the dialer/contacts app, Vlad's 2 callblocking apps.

And not drawbacks with them?

Youmail tops all of them. Like dannydet, my spam calls get blocked more than the apps above.

So it seems to be very reliable? Why are there so many spam calls?

 

[tube517]

Sorry, what does that mean? So there are no issues, drawbacks anymore today?


And not drawbacks with them?


So it seems to be very reliable? Why are there so many spam calls?

That article shows some call blockers I've never heard of. That's what I was meaning by an old article. There are likely more recent articles.
As far as the ones I have tried, if they were as effective as Youmail, I would have stuck w/them and not moved on. They still had calls sneak through that should have been blocked. All of the ones I listed.
And none of them play a "This number has been disconnected" message to these spammers. Youmail does that.

 

[Biffos]

So Youmail (thought it was an e-mail program) is the best program for such blocking.

Many thanks!

 

[RASelkirk]

!0? That's a lot.

Between my phone and the wife's, we got between a dozen and 2 dozen spam calls a day. My phone's "prefix" (not area code) begins with 291. Since I am the only known number in my family that begins with 291, I've blocked calls with that prefix and now have a log with almost every conceivable number combination with that prefix. I guess spammers are THAT naive to think someone couldn't figure out this tactic...

Russ

 

[Biffos]

Didn't know spam calls obviously are such a big problem, never had have one. So it seems without such apps here using / having a mobile phone would be much more inconvenient respectively not (usefully) possible.

Is it common in special areas that there are so many spam calls per day and person? Or why is it like that?

 

[RASelkirk]

We're both on the "no call" list, but it makes no difference to these morons...

Russ

 

[Dannydet]

If you live in the United States and Canada, spam calls are a daily occurrence that never ends

 

[Biffos]

We're both on the "no call" list, but it makes no difference to these morons...

I guess, that is in the nature of spam.

If you live in the United States and Canada, spam calls are a daily occurrence that never ends

So obviously without using those programs you cannot sensefully use mobile phones, may be landline phones as well.

 

[Dannydet]

Oh you can use mobile and landlines, but if you're constantly getting spam calls you have to have something in place to stop them. I've had my same number for a good 20 years, so it's been kicked around a lot to God who knows...
My wife has had her number for 4 or 5 years and gets maybe 1 or 2 spam calls a month.And that's why I use Youmail

 

[Biffos]

I cannot even imagine how it must be like getting that many spam calls (actually one per day would be too much), thank goodness some countries have a law against it.

 

[Xavier Black]

Between my phone and the wife's, we got between a dozen and 2 dozen spam calls a day. My phone's "prefix" (not area code) begins with 291. Since I am the only known number in my family that begins with 291, I've blocked calls with that prefix and now have a log with almost every conceivable number combination with that prefix. I guess spammers are THAT naive to think someone couldn't figure out this tactic...

Russ

How did you do the prefix???, I've tried and doesn't work in my youmail..I even tried different orders..and nothing..for example..my phone numbers starts with 832.721 then I input that prefix with the dots..without the dots..with a 1 ahead of the 8..and nothing has worked..so I had to get creative and employ truecaller..but it just works a few times..
The telemarketers and spammers love me!!!

 

[tube517]

I cannot even imagine how it must be like getting that many spam calls (actually one per day would be too much), thank goodness some countries have a law against it.

I should screenshot the numbers that Youmail has blocked. These companies spam, scam, and robocall incessantly.

 

[RASelkirk]

How did you do the prefix???, I've tried and doesn't work in my youmail..I even tried different orders..and nothing..for example..my phone numbers starts with 832.721 then I input that prefix with the dots..without the dots..with a 1 ahead of the 8..and nothing has worked..so I had to get creative and employ truecaller..but it just works a few times..
The telemarketers and spammers love me!!!

Here are screenshots of the blocking syntax and some of the numbers blocked...

Russ

 

[Xavier Black]

That doesn't add to the equation..you don't say how did you do a prefix for a number that that just has 6 digits..

I noticed you have a question marck(?) at the end of the prefix..but that isn't accurate since when you enter the number..just numeric digits are allowed..so that's isn't realistic info.

 

[steiny180]

H i y a . . .