OKCaller is an online site that aggregates personal information related to phone numbers. Unlike many of the personal information sites, OKCaller does seem to have a reputable model behind their service.
OKCaller is an advanced telephone directory and caller safety service, which is totally free to use. Their website is funded by a small amount of unobtrusive advertising.
OK Caller’s Service Ethics
The big difference between OK Caller and other sites is that OKCaller actually invites users to contribute to the accuracy of their database.
The second difference, which follows from this is that it seems that they are actively trying to provide helpful information, rather than just profit by selling information.
The reason they exist is to warn people about harmful phone numbers. This is clear in the domain name. So they target the exposition of numbers that are unwanted, which may include predators, crank callers, unsolicited marketers, and the less scrupulous debt collection agencies.
Features of OK Caller
OKCaller’s safe caller feature is very useful in the case of harassment. The feature also provides a badge for reputable users to feature on their blog or website.
Alongside the simple safety check of numbers, OK Caller provides users with a couple of other handy features.
You can send messages directly to phones registered on OKCaller from your computer, and receive a return receipt. In some cases, the message will be sent to an email address as well as the phone number.
OKCaller provides a very easy and accurate way to reverse look up numbers from callers which you don’t know. This can be very useful in case you are being harassed by someone unknown. It’s also helpful if you are getting a lot of spam calls, but need to still collect vital new business calls, and if you need to be very selective about taking calls, to check an unknown number before you answer.
Users can provide feedback when they report a number as “not safe” to warn others why they have been branded as unsafe. This feature helps to easily identify and track fraud or scams and warn others about them.
Reviewing your contact information on OK Caller provides detailed analytics of where and when you have been searched and viewed.
Where Does OKCaller get the Information From?
The information aggregated on OKCaller is either sourced from public records and online information or provided from user contributions. OKCaller continually crawls the web, analyzing and combining all phone data information available, and presenting it in a useful way. They are then combining information from users to make the web database far more accurate, helpful, and up to date.
Users that have a registered account on OKCaller can update and correct their details, including corrections to your name, adding more contact numbers, and adding or correcting an address. Users can also opt to make their information completely private, or have their information removed from the database.
OKCaller’s Removal Process
Getting to our point, although OKCaller’s business model is sound, there may be still those of you who want to opt out of their listing. Fortunately, they do make this a straightforward process.
Steps to remove your number from OK Caller:
Register for an account;
Search and locate your number;
Scroll down, and select “This is my number”;
Select “Opt-Out/Unlist”.
It’s as simple as that. Their website is amazingly user-friendly and, as I’ve said they appreciate user input, so if you don’t come right, their support will help you get there.
What Next?
If you have successfully removed yourself from OKCaller, the trouble is, they are only an aggregate site. Your information has most likely been published somewhere else.
If you want absolute privacy, search your number or name online and review all the results you get. The sources of information relating to your contact details can be easily removed in many cases. You may need to contact your phone service provider to make your details unlisted.
Summary
OKCaller has just celebrated three years of operation, with currently 800 million useful phone records, safety alerts, an active user contribution system, and a messaging service. It is undoubtedly, a next generation telephone directory. However, if you wish to opt out, there’s a really easy process to follow, and they will help you get through.