SCAM calls are the curse of my life. Perhaps it is because of my unusual name, or maybe I should be more careful with my online security. Anyway, scammers get my telephone number with alarming frequency.
This is a real problem on most telephones. Every time I get a phone call from a non -recognized number, I am worried that it might be something important. After all, it is not excluded that someone could call from his mobile or a fixed line in Manchester.
So I answer it and then waste far too much of my time to find out if the call is real. Sometimes it is clear (HMRC apparently wants to put me in prison for tax fraud), but on other occasions the caller sounds remarkably convincing.
In the best case, answering scam calls is a huge waste of time. In the worst case, it can really endanger my identity or money.
Although most phones have built in a form of spam detection, they are very hit-and-miss. If you recently used the Samsung Galaxy S25+, it has wrongly identified a legitimate caller as a spam. It was only after I had rejected the call and looked up the song online that I realized it was real.
However, my Pixel 9 Pro XL is to the rescue. It, and all recent pixel telephones, have a function that is known as a ‘call screen’ with which you can find out who is calling and why for You decide whether you answer.
Now, instead of mentally preparing myself for a detective mission, I simply tap the ‘Screen call’ button
How it works
Now, instead of mentally preparing myself for a detective mission, I simply tap the ‘Screen call’ button. A voice generated by the computer explains that it shows the call on my behalf and asks for context about why they call.
All the responses they give are transcribed into real -time, so I know exactly where I am going before I have to talk to someone.
It is reasonable to say that calling screening with a scam caller usually does not get far. They usually hang on as soon as they hear the automated voice. It is not surprising – imagine they answered honestly!
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Call screen can be useful, even if it is not a scam. Many real companies have marketing conversations to convince you to buy their products or services, so it’s nice to separate the wheat from the KAF.
The call screen in the US is even more powerful. It can be set to automatically screen calls from anyone who is not in your contact list and listens to signs that it can be a spam call. If the number matches a Google database, the call will be rejected without even knowing it.
It sounds great on paper, but I would worry that the real calls like spam incorrectly identify. I prefer the manual option that is available in the UK, which means that I am active in the process. A series of pre-set answers and context-based AI reactions means that there is still very little work involved.
I did not realize how much I would miss the call screen until I switched to other Android phones. After having spent more than three months using the Pixel 9 Pro XL, I had taken it for granted.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
But after I had received many unwanted memories about how unpleasant scam calls are, I realized what a game-changing job call screen is real and switched back. Every time I answer the phone on a pixel, I am convinced that it is worth my time – I can’t tell you how good that feels.
Call screen is not the only pixel-exclusive function that I love. Now playing is another excellent example – but it has a big problem.
