A general question on what software Pixel 3 users are using for nuisance call control

[Moondoggy]

When I got my first Android Smartphone I installed a program called Call Control that would block spam calls and calls I blacklisted. This app worked pretty well but it things are different on the Pixel 3 and I'm wondering if it's time for a change and if so what to change to.

My problem with Call Control is that in order for the software to block calls Call Control requires that it be the default dialer on the phone. With the integration of the contacts and voice mail in the default Google dialer I don't want to use anything but the default dialer so I'm not getting the call blocking I used to.

So my question to Pixel 3 users is what are you using and why? Are there any restrictions and/or costs to the software as I'm pretty partial to stuff that's either free or only has a 1 time upgrade charge. Ideally the software I would like to use would have the following characteristics.

Free or a one time only charge to acquire.
No monthly or annual fee for usage.
Has a central database that is accurate in identifying spammers.
Has a blacklist function that would allow me to block a caller and would also allow me to report a spammer if a call got through.
Doesn't require that it be the default dialer on the phone.
Will work with the Call Screening function available with the Pixel 3
No advertisements

Any help and/or advice will be appreciated.

 

[foxbat121]

These days, spam calls mostly use randomly generated numbers to call you. The traditional ways of using known numbers or blacklisted numbers to block calls no longer work. If you are lucky, you can see your own phone number calling you.

Luckily, recently all major carriers in US all signed up to block such robo calls. We will see how that works out. Carriers are the only one knows the true identities of the caller. Nothing you do on your phone can block them unless you don't pick up any calls.

 

[Theot]

I use the spam call blocker in the phone dialer app. It's worked pretty well. If I do get one I use call screen and then report it and block it. I don't get many calls lately since going to a pixel 3.

 

[Moondoggy]

I use the spam call blocker in the phone dialer app. It's worked pretty well. If I do get one I use call screen and then report it and block it. I don't get many calls lately since going to a pixel 3.

Blocking with the dialer is the easy part if you know the number is bad but many times I dont have that answer when the call comes in. If an app can detect a spam call up front and block it that's ideal but just having an app that would warn you of a spammer would allow you to disregard the call.

 

[J Dubbs]

The more I use the call screen and report spam and block numbers feature the less and less spam calls I'm getting. A lot of pixels owners have noticed the same thing when the call screen feature came out. I think the spam robocallers must detect the call screen feature as being a "dead" number so to speak and remove it from the list of active suckers..... I mean numbers oops lol.

 

[Rukbat]

Since SIP accounts have to supply their own callerID, and since most of the more annoying ones are from overseas, and since those that are set up properly use your area code and the same first 3 digits of the phone number (so it seems as if it's someone near you), there's no way anyone can control these calls, not even your carrier. They get the call from another carrier that's supplying a VoIP or SIP account, so they accept the callerID as it is. (US companies can refuse to accept spoofed callerIDs from customers, but if the originating carrier is outside the US, the carrier is accepting the callerID from the originating carrier, which is normal [and only the originating carrier knows the true number]). As foxbat121 said, if you get a particularly inept person setting up a robocaller, you might even see your own number calling you. Or you might see their spoofed number as their name and their spoofed number as their number.