This is for an adult child setting up a parent’s phone, or for the parent doing it themselves. The job is smaller than “stop all scam calls.” It is: fewer rings, a label when a call looks shady, and a rule for what to do if one still gets through. Checked September 24, 2026 against the FTC and the phone makers’ own help pages. Menus move.
What this will not do
The FTC says scammers do not care if a number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. Signing up there does not replace call blocking. Blocking can also stop a call you wanted, such as a doctor’s office calling from a new number. Plan for that.
Do this on an iPhone
Apple’s help page, updated September 14, 2026, puts the control here: Settings, then Apps, then Phone. Under Screen Unknown Callers, pick one of three:
- Never. Unsaved numbers ring like any other call. This is the noisy setting.
- Ask Reason for Calling. The phone asks the caller why they are calling before it rings. You see the answer and decide. Apple says standard calling and data rates may apply. On software older than iOS 17, Live Voicemail also has to be on for screening to work.
- Silence. Unsaved numbers go to voicemail and do not ring. They still show in Recents.
For most parents who get scam calls, Silence or Ask Reason for Calling is the useful choice. Silence is simpler. Ask Reason for Calling is better if they still need calls from clinics and pharmacies that are not saved as contacts.
Two limits Apple states: calls are not screened while roaming, and if the phone calls emergency services, call screening turns off for 24 hours.
Do this on an Android phone
Google’s Phone app help describes a different switch, and it is easy to misunderstand. Open the Phone app, tap More, then Settings, then Blocked numbers, and turn on Unknown. Google says this blocks calls from private or unidentified numbers. It does not block ordinary numbers that are simply missing from Contacts. A scammer using a normal-looking number can still ring.
Pixel phones have a separate tool, Call Screen. On a Pixel, the path in Google’s help is Phone app, More, Settings, then Spam and Call Screen or Call Screen. You can screen spam, possibly faked numbers, and first-time callers. That is not the same screen as Blocked numbers. If the phone is not a Pixel, do not hunt for Call Screen. Use the carrier’s labeling or a call-blocking app, which is what the FTC recommends for cell phones in general.
What the FTC says to add
- Call labeling still lets the call through, but the screen may say “spam” or “scam likely.” That is a warning, not a block.
- A call-blocking app can stop a call, silence it, or send it to voicemail. Some are free and some charge. The FTC says to read the reviews and also ask the carrier what they offer.
- You can still block one number at a time. Phones may limit how many numbers that list can hold.
The rule when a call still rings
Do not call back a number left in a voicemail that says a relative is in trouble, a refund is waiting, or tech support needs the phone. Hang up. If money was lost, the FTC’s page for that is ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Unwanted calls can be reported at DoNotCall.gov, including the number on caller ID and any number they said to call back.
A real bank, Medicare, or the phone company will not need a gift card, a code read aloud, or remote-control software installed during the call. The page on fake tech-support pop-ups is the matching guide for the same trick on a computer screen: how to spot a fake tech-support pop-up.
What this means for you
Set the phone so unknown calls do not ring, then save the doctor’s office and the pharmacy as contacts so those still come through. Do Not Call is not the fix. A blocking app or the phone’s own silence setting is.
Will this stop every scam call?
No. The FTC says blocking will not catch every unwanted call, and it can block calls you wanted. That is why the hang-up rule still matters.
Is Unknown on Android the same as Silence on iPhone?
No. On the Google Phone app page checked September 24, 2026, Unknown means private or unidentified numbers, not “anyone not in my contacts.” iPhone Silence does send unsaved numbers to voicemail.
This is not legal advice. Steps are from the company and FTC pages opened on September 24, 2026. Recheck the settings screen before you rely on a menu name.
Sources
- FTC: How to block unwanted calls
- Apple: Manage unknown callers on iPhone, updated September 14, 2026
- Google: Block or unblock a phone number
- Google: Screen calls on Pixel
Next: who can see a shared photo album, or Privacy Policies Watch.