Viber Introduces Caller ID Feature to Combat Spam Calls in the Philippines

How often have you avoided answering a call because the caller’s number was not saved in your contacts? It could be a spam call worth ignoring, but it might also be a critical call, such as a medical emergency.

Rakuten Viber, a global leader in secure messaging and voice communications, has rolled out a new Caller ID feature in the Philippines to help users discern unidentified callers. This way, they can choose whether to accept or decline calls, offering added protection against spam calls.

This feature can be activated by users to identify any incoming call, even if the caller isn’t using Viber. To enable the Caller ID feature, existing users (using Viber 19.3.0 or later versions) should go to ‘Calls and Messages’ in the app’s settings.

With this new function, phone numbers flagged as spam by other Viber users will show a spam alert. After a call concludes, users will have options for post-call actions such as redialing, messaging, saving the contact, or reporting it as spam.

“We’re thrilled to add this extra layer of protection for our users” said Ofir Eyal, CEO of Rakuten Viber.

“Caller ID helps offer our users more peace of mind, as no one likes to be bothered by spam calls. This is another move toward giving our users more control.”

Currently, the feature is available to Android users in select areas, including the Philippines, and will gradually expand globally in the upcoming months.