How to turn on caller ID and spam protection in the Android Phone app
Switch on the built-in caller ID and spam filter in the Android Phone app to warn you about suspected spam calls and block repeat callers.
Fake bank, courier, KYC and digital-arrest calls reach phones all day. Many Android phones have a Phone app with a Caller ID and spam setting that labels suspected spam and can silence it. It is not perfect, but it helps. Menu names differ slightly on Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme and OnePlus phones.
Steps
- Open your Phone app settings. Open the Phone or Dialer app, tap the three dots, then Settings. On Samsung it can be Settings, then Caller ID and spam protection. If you cannot find it, search the settings inside the Phone app.
- Turn on caller ID and spam. Switch on Caller ID and spam, or Spam and Call Screen. Your phone may ask to share number details with the provider to check them. Read the note and decide whether you are comfortable.
- Filter suspected spam calls. Turn on See caller and spam ID and Filter suspected spam calls if shown. Suspected spam will then show a warning or go straight to a spam list instead of ringing.
- Block and report a number. Open the call in recent calls, tap the number, then Block or Report spam. Block repeated spam numbers. Do not call back, and do not press any key when a recorded voice asks you to.
- Report to the authorities. Suspicious numbers can be reported on the Sanchar Saathi portal under its Chakshu facility. If you lost money, call 1930 and report on cybercrime.gov.in quickly. Keep the call log as evidence.
Menu names differ a little between phone makers and Android versions. If you cannot find a setting, open Settings and use the search box.
Why it matters
Most phone frauds begin with a call that creates fear or hope: a fake officer, a courier parcel, an electricity cut or a prize. A spam label gives you a moment to stop and think before answering. That pause is valuable, because pressure is the main weapon scammers rely on.
Watch out for
- A caller who says they are police, customs or CBI over a video call is a scam.
- No label does not mean the call is safe.
- Never share an OTP, PIN or card details by phone.
- Spoofed numbers can look like your bank, so use only the number printed on your card or in the official app.
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio does not block calls by itself. Scam check works on text you paste or share, and Money Shield gives a Verify before you pay checklist, trusted contacts and a family code word that helps when a caller claims to be a relative. Use your Phone app's spam filter for call screening.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions
Will spam protection block real calls?
Sometimes a genuine call is labelled suspicious, for example a delivery person. Check the spam list and unblock numbers you trust. Do not call back unknown numbers.
Can I trust a call from my bank's name?
Not just from the screen. Caller names can be faked. Hang up and use the number on your card, passbook or the bank's official app to call back.