[enitihas]

I tried using the unlisting UI, but it says I need to install the app and deactivate my account before unlisting. When I install the app, it refuses to run unless I grant it all sorts of permissions. So it seems before unlisting, I need to give truecaller my data. This absolutely ridiculous.

[martynthewolf]

Im not sure if this is something available only in the UK/EU but I was able to login on the website https://www.truecaller.com/ and deactivate the account in my settings there, then successfully unlist my number.

--edit. I should read slower. I see you aren't an existing user. That is indeed BS.

[bscphil]

It said that for me too, and I've never had an account. I kept trying and it somehow worked on the fourth try. The format I used was "+1xxxxxxxxxx" for the number, not sure if that made any difference.

[antisemiotic]

Outside of some legal recourse if that's possible where you live, have you tried installing it on an emulator and just giving it some garbage data?

[Abishek_Muthian]

I had given a garbage name for my number as I knew for sure others who have my number in India have uploaded it to Truecaller (as in OP article). It displays the Garbage name for everyone for my number.

[avaika]

It worked for me just from the site. I've never used the app before, never had it installed.

[enitihas]

I was finally able to unlist successfully by installing truecaller on my iPad where it didn't ask for any permissions forcefully, deactivating my account, and then unlisting. Previously I was using my android phone.

[fuzz4lyfe]

Same here. Another dark pattern is they require the country code, they could have inferred it from my IP and auto populated it or had a list of countries via a dropdown instead they bury that the country code is required in a paragraph and disable the button if the phone number lacks it. At very least enable the button and pop up a error message if the country code is lacking. How many non technical users will give up with this form? I suspect many of them.

[g_sch]

I don't think it's the case that your country code can be reliably inferred from your IP. When I lived in Europe, I had a German phone number but was frequently living/working in other countries.

[innocenat]

But, like, the search form at the top of the page has autopopulate country code.

[fuzz4lyfe]

I didn't notice that, that means it's a one liner to auto populate the form. Great work guys.