Well that's a new one for me...

[can3gxw]

I've had my Pixel XL for just over a week now, and it is still surprising me. I'm not sure if it's the phone, or the pure Google experience (I've only known Samsung up until now), but yesterday was my final "WTAF" moment.

For the past week, I've seen actual caller ID on my phone for the first time ever. These calls are not from my contacts, but businesses that show up as they would in a home caller ID.

Except for last night. I was just arriving home from work and my phone rang. I looked at it and the screen was a bright red and the "caller name" read "Suspected SPAM caller". Wait, what?

I answered the call, they asked for someone else, I told them they had the wrong number and they apologized and hung up. Weird to say the least.

Even now when I look at my phone call history the caller reads "SPAM". The icon is a read circle with a large white exclamation point.

Is this baked in to Android? Does it pull from Google searches on the number? I know for "sure" that it's not coming from my carrier.

 

[N4Newbie]

It's Google.

I am not sure how they determine "suspected" status; my guess is a combination of factors. And, the fact that the caller asked for a specific person does not ensure that it was not a spam call.

At any rate, you should have been given the option to confirm the spam status, thus adding the number to your own block list as well as - I assume - notifying Google that it's algorithm scored again.

 

[can3gxw]

Yea - I'm not eager to jump on the block status because of "suspected SPAM" on that call. It could have been a wrong number, they didn't try to sell something nor did they tell me my "phone was badly infected by virus and I need to install this cleaning app to fix it or I will see my phone brick".

I rarely block numbers only because it doesn't "really" work - scammers/spammers will just spoof real people's numbers to get around it.

 

[muzzy996]

My understanding is the spam flag comes from the reports of others.

If you long press items in your call history that are not associated with a contact you get the option to report as spam to Google. AFAIK this doesn't necessarily block the call, just flags it for you and others. There's a separate option to block a number and if you accidentally block a number but it still remains in your call history you can long press its entry to unblock it (otherwise you have to go into settings from within the dialer/contacts/call history and select call blocking to see the list of blocked numbers).

I like the spam flags though, it at least prepares me for the conversation before hand. I typically answer with my name (Hello ____ speaking . . ) but if a call is flagged as spam I do not provide my name during initial salutation. I get one or two spam calls per week . .

If a number flagged as spam ends up being legitimate I'll then place them in my contacts at which point their status as flagged as spam by others is meaningless to me.

 

[Almeuit]

Yea - I'm not eager to jump on the block status because of "suspected SPAM" on that call. It could have been a wrong number, they didn't try to sell something nor did they tell me my "phone was badly infected by virus and I need to install this cleaning app to fix it or I will see my phone brick".

I rarely block numbers only because it doesn't "really" work - scammers/spammers will just spoof real people's numbers to get around it.

Yeah I just don't answer unknown numbers. I figured they will leave a voicemail if it is important enough.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I think, and have nothing to back this up, but along with other people flagging as spam, I think Google cross check numbers that are plugged in Chrome.

 

[chanchan05]

It's Google. It aggregates info from reports. It's actually built into a lot of Android phones. My S7E for example has that feature in the settings. It's off by default though since the service isn't available in my country.

 

[N4Newbie]

My understanding is the spam flag comes from the reports of others.

If you long press items in your call history that are not associated with a contact you get the option to report as spam to Google. AFAIK this doesn't necessarily block the call, just flags it for you and others. There's a separate option to block a number and if you accidentally block a number but it still remains in your call history you can long press its entry to unblock it (otherwise you have to go into settings from within the dialer/contacts/call history and select call blocking to see the list of blocked numbers).

I like the spam flags though, it at least prepares me for the conversation before hand. I typically answer with my name (Hello ____ speaking . . ) but if a call is flagged as spam I do not provide my name during initial salutation. I get one or two spam calls per week . .

If a number flagged as spam ends up being legitimate I'll then place them in my contacts at which point their status as flagged as spam by others is meaningless to me.

Actually, it *does* block future calls from that number with the *option* to also report it as spam:

​

This on a Pixel XL running the Android O DP4 beta. I'm sure it was the same with Android 7.x

 

[anon(10274434)]

Yeah I just don't answer unknown numbers. I figured they will leave a voicemail if it is important enough.

My thoughts exactly - no voice mail - number gets blocked.
I have a Verizon Pixel, onto which I side load the non Verizon OTA each month - a great combo IMO.

 

[muzzy996]

Actually, it *does* block future calls from that number with the *option* to also report it as spam:

View attachment 264748​

This on a Pixel XL running the Android O DP4 beta. I'm sure it was the same with Android 7.x

Thanks for the correction, so initiating a report as spam option automatically blocks. I guess that makes sense. One might see that number end up on their blocked call list after which they could unblock it. I wouldn't be surprised though if one could unblock a number they erroneously reported as spam themselves that the spam tag would remain.

 

[can3gxw]

I am in IT so I need to answer every call that comes through because it could be from anyone in my company, vendor support, pretty much anyone and I don't want it going through VM if I can avoid it because that slows the support down just because I didn't want to answer the phone.

The "this may be SPAM" indicator is great though because I actually DID answer that one call a little more "on guard" and seriousness instead of my chipper self.

 

[mmcclure0453]

I love the spam call feature. If I ignore it and answer the call it always ends up being some unwanted sales call. If I don't recognize the number - off to voicemail you go. If it's legit, they'll leave message and I'll surely call back. That's just the way I roll....

 

[Golfdriver97]

A few weeks ago, Microsoft tried calling me about viruses they found on my PC. I had a pleasant conversation with them while I was connected to my car on my drive to work...lol

 

[vzwuser76]

I am in IT so I need to answer every call that comes through because it could be from anyone in my company, vendor support, pretty much anyone and I don't want it going through VM if I can avoid it because that slows the support down just because I didn't want to answer the phone.

The "this may be SPAM" indicator is great though because I actually DID answer that one call a little more "on guard" and seriousness instead of my chipper self.

Well then what you can do is after you answer the call and determine it is Spam, then you can label it as such. You shouldn't have to worry about that call being blocked in the future because it was in fact Spam, unless a vendor or someone in your company is spamming you.

 

[Gary_Berg]

Don't forget that phone numbers can be spoofed.