One security researcher said many of these apps can violate your privacy as soon as they are opened.
Dan Hastings, a senior security consultant cybersecurity firm NCC Group, analyzed some of the most popular robocall-blocking apps โ including TrapCall, Truecaller, and Hiya โ and found egregious privacy violations.
These automated calls demand you โpay the IRSโ a fine you donโt owe or pretend to be tech support.
They often try to trick you into picking up the phone by spoofing their number to look like a local caller.
But as much as the cell networks are trying to cut down on spam, many are turning to third-party apps to filter their incoming calls.
But many of these apps, said Hastings, send user or device data to third-party data analytics companies โ often to monetize your information โ without your explicit consent, instead burying the details in their privacy policies.