BEIJING, CHINA--(Marketwired - Nov 21, 2016) - DU Caller, a new smartphone privacy app from Chinese Internet search provider Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU), has just released data indicating that approximately one out of every seven calls in the US originates from telemarketers or fraudulent callers.

According to DU Caller product manager Keskin Zhao, the numbers intercepted represent telemarketers, robots, and fraud calls operating under the guise of a variety of different services. The data was compiled from over six million fraud calls intercepted by DU Caller in the US over a roughly six-month period.

"At the very least, scam calls are a personal intrusion into our lives; at the worst, they can cause huge financial losses," said Zhao. Underscoring this point, a large-scale fraud operation with callers posing as IRS agents was recently brought under indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice after having scammed over 15,000 people out of a cumulative $300 million. "DU Caller's goal is to help people reclaim their phone privacy, so they never lose time or money from unwanted calls again," said Zhao.

Additional figures from DU Caller:

  • DU Caller has intercepted over 30 million fraud calls globally.
  • 20 percent of all fraud calls intercepted by DU Caller worldwide were targeted at US smartphone users.
  • DU Caller's cloud database of known fraud numbers now exceeds 1.5 billion phone numbers.

DU Caller features an automatic caller ID, a customizable blacklist, call recording (Android only) and more. From November 30th to December 12th, DU Caller will be holding a campaign called "Make the Right Choice" to raise awareness about smartphone security. For more information about DU Caller or to download the app for free, visit the Google Play store or the Apple App Store.

About Baidu
 Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. As a technology-based media company, Baidu aims to provide the best and most equitable way for people to find what they're looking for. In addition to serving individual Internet search users, Baidu provides an effective platform for businesses to reach potential customers. Baidu's ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU". Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.