1 yr. ago • 100%

anybody have a solution for a legitimate caller ID and spam blocking service for android phones?

Hi all, through my experience, the third party apps that are supposed to do this a pure trash. I mean true caller was pretty decent, but it was packed with ads and trackers of course and the overbearing permissions that constantly tries hijacking my set SMS and dialer apps.... I don't think using a third party app is the right solution.

I came across an internet protocol called NCID which is network caller ID, which sounds quite interesting, but strangely there is little documentation and virtually no online community discussion about this.

So I'm wondering what are some good caller ID options available? I'm a private person and I like knowing who is calling also, would like to stop spam. I'm sure there's a whole world dedicated to this such stuff, but I can't seem to find the solution. And tips or advice or anything would be great. Thanks

32 comments

I just block everything that isn't in my phone book. I use an app that sends it to voice mail without showing on my screen, so it doesn't disturb me. I can turn it off anytime via the windowshade if I'm expecting a call.

If it's someone who actually has business with me, they'll leave a message, which my voicemail will transcribe and send to me quietly as a text notification. 90% of the time it's a scammer or solicitor I don't care about. Most of the rest are robo appointment reminders.

Do yourself a favor and don't answer any calls you're not expecting. You're just putting yourself on scammers' lists.

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- I use an app that sends it to voice mail without showing on my screen, so it doesn't disturb me.
  
  What app?
  
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- I'd love for digital assistances to answer a phone, get a call back number and extension, then call the caller back, then connect me. This would force the caller to both be contactable (no scammers, no call centers), and make them very invested in talking to me.
  
  I can think of very few reasons someone wouldn't leave a message/voicemail when calling, but those people would be ok with 'Press 1 to have us call you back at your number'->1->'Ok, the digital assistant will call you back in a moment'. disconnect, ring 'This is the digital assistant you just called, please press 3+2 to ring out to the person your trying to contact' #5... my phone finally rings....
  
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- Yea almost never answer calls I don't know. I usually google them too, but figured there's an easier solution to all of this
  
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The google phone app honestly. I'm sure they already know your calls through play services.

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- I've heard its good, but I'm honestly trying to ween off of google lol
  
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- ~~privacyguides~~
  
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  ??
  
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- Android 14 has additional options as well.
  
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- Using the google phone app is better than using Truecaller
  
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  But its still the overlord google though... I've been trying to stay away from google as much as possible lately
  
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- I have my gripes with Google, but their screen calling feature is very handy.
  
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I can't help you with caller id, but Silence has several options for call blocking. I have it set to only allow calls from contacts and calls passing stir/shaken verification. Occasionally calls from businesses that use a single outward facing number will get blocked.

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- Sounds interesting. What exactly is stir shaken? I've recently come across that term
  
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  It's basically a method of verifying the call originated from the number shown in the caller id. The scammers and spammers using voip phones often spoof their caller id to appear legitimate. In doing so they fail that verification. Like I mentioned, sometimes there are false positives, but you can always add the number to your contacts to let the call through. https://www.fcc.gov/call-authentication
  
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With increasing frequency; spam calls spoof their caller ID to be a number/business/organization local to you which isn't linked to them. Either to masquerade as a familiar name as part of the scam or just so blocking or calling back is pointless.

Filtering that is next to impossible unless you just use a whitelist of acceptable callers.

It's a broken system.

7
- Damn that's disheartening to hear. I read that is actually illegal for spammers or robocallers to do (the spoofing), but clearly they don't abide
  
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  I mean... Scamming people is illegal too...
  
  9
I use "Yet Another Call Blocker" on F-Droid. Works great.

5
- My worry is that it hasn't been updated in a while so it may be abandoned... But I'm not saavy enough to know such things
  
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- I've been using this app for about a year. Its been working well so far, but I frequently don't receive spam calls.
  
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Permanently Deleted

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- Very interesting. I think I saw this method mentioned in another thread
  
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  Permanently Deleted
  
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I use Should i answer? and it works great.

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there is a good blocker on fdroid

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- Kind of a useless post if you don't actually name the blocker.....
  
  7
  
  that is the only blocker on fdroid. just search blocker; dont worry i believe in you.
  
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I don't know how effective it truly is a far as privacy goes, but I use the Scam Block app that T-Mobile provides, and DuckDuckGo's App Tracking Protection blocks tracking attempts from all my apps, including Scam Block.

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We still have a home phone and pretty much do not give out our cell number. So we get very few junk cell calls.

One thing I have been thinking. One way to block a lot of calls is have a phone number in an area code that you do not know anyone. Then block that entire area code and those around it if needed. Most of our junk calls come from the area code of the phone number.

Like others have said the most effective is to send everything to voice mail except what you white list. We do not do that but maybe we will get there.

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- Not a bad idea, but maybe too restrictive for my taste. But then again, if its important they'd leave a voicemail. I'm also interested in unblocking blocked or unknown numbers. I was so surprised to see true caller had that ability. I didn't know it was possible
  
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