Mumbai, India – Renowned public relations specialist Dale Bhagwagar, known for his work with more than 300 Bollywood celebrities, has found himself embroiled in a serious cyber security issue following a verification request from Truecaller, the popular caller identification service. This week, he put a detailed post on social media expressing the problems and issues he has been facing with Truecaller, inspite of subscribing to the paid version Truecaller Premium.
In a recent Facebook post, Bhagwagar detailed his ongoing struggle to correct his name and update his professional information on Truecaller despite subscribing to the platform’s premium service. The situation escalated when Truecaller requested proof of ownership for his mobile number by asking for a registration bill from his carrier.
Verification Request Leads to Cyber Security Worry
Truecaller’s request for proof of ownership came amidst Bhagwagar’s repeated attempts to rectify the display of his name on the app. He discovered that his first name had been inaccurately altered by an unknown individual. Despite purchasing Truecaller Premium to address the issue, he faced persistent technical problems, including an error code 422:2, and unhelpful responses from customer support.
One support representative, identified as Amy, informed Bhagwagar that the system could not accommodate the name “Dale” due to privacy reasons. This explanation did little to alleviate his concerns, as his name is integral to his professional identity. Temporary solutions, such as clearing the app’s cache and reinstalling it, only resolved the issue momentarily, failing to update his company name and bio.
Unexpected and Alarming Development
The situation took a more alarming turn when, within 45 minutes of receiving Truecaller’s email, Bhagwagar received a message from his service provider Airtel India. The email stated that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) had informed Airtel that Bhagwagar’s device was infected with bot malware. This unexpected development raised serious concerns for Bhagwagar, who has never encountered such an issue before.
Bhagwagar expressed his shock and urged various government bodies, including the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Telecommunications, Maharashtra Cyber, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to investigate whether there could be a connection between Truecaller’s verification request and the subsequent malware alert from Airtel.
Implications for Truecaller Users in India
This incident raises critical questions about the efficacy of Truecaller’s verification processes and customer service policies, especially for professionals in India who rely on accurate caller identification. Bhagwagar’s experience highlights the challenges faced even by paid subscribers of Truecaller Premium, underscoring the need for better support and flexibility in handling such issues.
Truecaller, developed by True Software Scandinavia AB, is a privately held company based in Stockholm, Sweden. Founded by Alan Mamedi and Nami Zarringhalam in 2009, the app boasts a significant user base in India. However, this incident casts a shadow over its reliability and the potential risks associated with its verification processes.
Call for Investigation
Bhagwagar has called upon the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell in Mumbai to assist him in this matter and to determine if a formal complaint needs to be registered regarding the bot malware issue. He emphasized the urgency of understanding whether the verification request from Truecaller and the malware alert from Airtel are connected.
As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how Truecaller will address these serious concerns and what measures will be taken to ensure the security and accuracy of its services for its users in India. Bhagwagar’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust cyber security measures and responsive customer support in today’s digital age.
