Scam calls are exhausting, and they’re costly: the Federal Trade Commission found that older adults who lost money to a scam that started with a phone call lost more, on average, than with any other kind of first contact. The good news is that Android phones now have strong, free protection built in. Here’s how to switch it on.

Plain talk: call screening

Call screening means your phone checks who’s calling before it rings. Some phones can answer an unknown caller for you, ask who they are, and show you the answer as text.

On a Google Pixel: turn on Call Screen

  1. Open the Phone app.
  2. Tap More (the three dots, top right), then Settings.
  3. Tap Spam and Call Screen (on some phones it’s just called Call Screen).
  4. Choose a protection level: Maximum protection, Medium protection or Basic protection.
  5. On a Pixel 7 or newer, you can also turn on Automatically screen calls, which filters spam, possibly faked numbers and first-time callers.

Our pick: Maximum or Medium protection. Automatic screening is available on all Pixel phones in the US. In other countries, including the UK, Canada and Australia, you can still tap Screen call when an unknown number rings, and your Pixel will ask the caller who they are.

Try this

Ask a family member to call you from a number that isn’t saved in your phone. Watch how screening works, so you’re comfortable when a real unknown call comes in.

On a Samsung Galaxy: turn on Caller ID and spam protection

  1. Open the Phone app.
  2. Tap More options (the three dots), then Settings.
  3. Tap Caller ID and spam protection.
  4. Tap the switch at the top to turn it on, then tap Agree if asked.
  5. Turn on Block spam and scam calls.
  6. Choose Block all spam and scam calls (stronger) or Only block high-risk scam calls (gentler).

Block callers who hide their number

  1. In the Phone app, tap More options, then Settings.
  2. Tap Block numbers.
  3. Turn on Block calls from unknown numbers.

This blocks callers who hide their number (shown as Private or Unknown). It doesn’t block ordinary numbers that just aren’t in your contacts.

Newer Galaxy phones may also offer a call-screening assistant. If your phone has it, you’ll find it in Settings under Galaxy AI or by searching Settings for call screening.

On any Android phone

  • Search Settings. Open Settings, tap the magnifying glass and type spam. Most phones have a spam filter you can switch on.
  • Block a number after a call. In Recents, tap the number, then Block or Block/report spam.
  • Save trusted numbers. Doctor, pharmacy, bank and family. Saved numbers always get through.

Join your country’s Do Not Call register

It won’t stop scammers, but it cuts down on genuine sales calls, so the calls that are left are easier to judge:

Safety tip

If a caller says they’re from your bank, the government or a tech company and asks for money, codes or remote access, hang up. Call back on the number on your card, statement or the official website, never a number the caller gives you.

On an iPhone? See what “Ask Reason for Calling” means. And if a call has already cost you money, here’s where to report a scam.