App recommendations: ignore spam calls

[Fasauceome]

Lately I have been getting a few dozen calls a day to my phone from "spam likely." I have a Samsung note 9, previously on Verizon but now Mint mobile. 

 

I would like my phone to automatically reject all incoming calls from a phone number that's not in my contacts. BUT! I don't want to block phone numbers. If I block a phone number, I can't receive any voice mails or texts from that number. If a doctor's office or something reaches out, I want them to go straight to voicemail so I can call them back.

 

Any app recommendations that filter calls in the specific way that I'm looking for? Free is the budget. 

 

I also looked into my settings for something like this, but blocking private/unlisted numbers is the only option. 

[JonS77]

The Truecaller app shows you the spam calls as spam, or at least it does to me all off the time that I get them so I can ignore them. The premium features have an option to block them but the price tag is way too much for me.

 

This other option is free apparently and people say it works but I haven't tried it. You could give it a go https://github.com/Divested-Mobile/Carrion

[dizmo]

3 minutes ago, JonS77 said:

The Truecaller app shows you the spam calls as spam, or at least it does to me all off the time that I get them so I can ignore them. The premium features have an option to block them but the price tag is way too much for me.

 

This other option is free apparently and people say it works but I haven't tried it. You could give it a go https://github.com/Divested-Mobile/Carrion

Truecaller would only be worth it if you could find 3 other people to split it with. Then it's not so bad. Much like Nintendo memberships.

[Fasauceome]

52 minutes ago, JonS77 said:

The Truecaller app shows you the spam calls as spam

I don't want to be shown the calls at all, my phone already flags spam. I need my phone to not ring at all when an unsaved number calls me, and goes straight to voicemail

[OddOod]

You on Android? 
If so, you can create a Custom Mode (formerly do not disturb) where the only setting you have is "who can inturrupt me?" and just set Calls to Contacts. Then add all apps that you want notifications for to the allowed apps and set the schedule to all day every day
One downside is if you want notifications from a new app, you will have to add it, but honestly I can't remember the last time I actually added an app that I wanted to notify me

[Fasauceome]

21 minutes ago, OddOod said:

you can create a Custom Mode (formerly do not disturb)

since my phone is older, I am on an android version from 2022. My Do Not Disturb settings appear pretty limited.

[OddOod]

3 minutes ago, Fasauceome said:

since my phone is older, I am on an android version from 2022. My Do Not Disturb settings appear pretty limited.

RIP
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=callfilter.app&hl=en_US
This looks good. It says one of the features is "- All incoming calls from the numbers that are not in your contacts (optional);"

[Fasauceome]

39 minutes ago, OddOod said:

RIP
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=callfilter.app&hl=en_US
This looks good. It says one of the features is "- All incoming calls from the numbers that are not in your contacts (optional);"

This one does the trick! It took some exploring in the "expert settings" because the settings are not very straightforward, but this one does indeed mute incoming calls WITHOUT blocking them, so I can still get voice messages. 

[Lurking]

16 hours ago, Fasauceome said:

This one does the trick! It took some exploring in the "expert settings" because the settings are not very straightforward, but this one does indeed mute incoming calls WITHOUT blocking them, so I can still get voice messages. 

If you ever look for a new phone, the Pixel has the absolute best screening that will deal with all spam and unknown callers. i don't know if an app (or non-Pixel phone) exist that duplicates the Pixel spam capabilities. 

 

The unknown calls it actually lets through, it "talks" to the caller and has them say what the call is about. It lets you see the transcript so you can decide if you take the call (in case it actually is legitimate call that just isn't in your phonebook).

 

Most spam calls get blocked outright. And the few that make it to the assistant, end the call themselves. Switching from Samsung to Pixel improved my life a lot due to never ever having a spam call. i used to have 3 spam calls a day. Now, maybe one makes it to me in a year. 

[OddOod]

On 6/13/2025 at 7:48 AM, Lurking said:

If you ever look for a new phone, the Pixel has the absolute best screening that will deal with all spam and unknown callers. i don't know if an app (or non-Pixel phone) exist that duplicates the Pixel spam capabilities. 

 

Agree. I have a Pixel and Fi and it's spectacular