Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Google's Phone App Is Getting the Power To Send Spam Calls Straight To Voicemail (9to5google.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the cease-and-desist dept.

According to 9to5Google, Google's dialer app for Pixel, Nexus, and Android One devices is being upgraded with the ability to send spam calls straight to voicemail. "In 2016, the app began alerting users to potential spam callers by flashing the incoming call screen bright red, with another 'Suspected spam caller' alert just underneath the phone number," reports 9to5Google. The new spam filtering feature goes a step further. From the report: [U]sers will not receive a missed call or voicemail notification, though filtered calls will appear in call history and any voicemails left will still show up in that respective tab. This feature is rolling out worldwide over the next few weeks, but those who join the new beta will have initial access to it. Like its other programs, Google notes that the test allows you to use experimental features before they're released. Google warns that features will still be in-development, might be unstable, and have "a few problems." Meanwhile, users will have the ability to submit in-app feedback throughout the process. Head to the Google Play listing for the Phone app and scroll down to "Become a tester" in order to join.

20 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. NO!!! by TiberiusKirk · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't want the call going straight to voicemail. I want the fuckers to have to wait for 4 rings, then get sent to voicemail.

    1. Re:NO!!! by Scutter · · Score: 2

      I don't want them to go to voicemail at all. Let them listen to 4 rings and then hang up on them.

      --

      "Tell me doctor, with all of your defenses, are there any provisions for an attack by killer bees?"
    2. Re:NO!!! by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 4, Funny

      Somewhere another phone is getting a scam call at the same time...
      connect the two calls together and let them tell each other about the virus that has been detected, or overdue tax bill, or grand child in jail...

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
    3. Re:NO!!! by RandomFactor · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Why hang up on them? Just let it ring. But whatever - absolutely DO NOT give me spam voicemail. Why would i want that?

      --
      --- Mercutio was right.
    4. Re:NO!!! by RhettLivingston · · Score: 2

      I'd rather autoforward them all to Ajit Pai.

    5. Re:NO!!! by rgbscan · · Score: 2

      This is basically the premise of the "HoaxHotel" twitch stream :-)

  2. Not Compatible by crow · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Too bad the app isn't compatible with many Android phones. I know it's asking a lot to support obscure phones like the Samsung Galaxy series, but it would be nice.

    1. Re:Not Compatible by Luthair · · Score: 2

      Maybe it would be if Samsung didn't ship their own version of every single piece of software on the phone.

  3. NO Voicemail by markdavis · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why would I want it to go to voicemail?????? What a pain in the a**. I get a repeating alert that I have new voicemail or a missed call, then I have to open that app, and deal with finding it and deleting it. GIVE US CONTROL, let us choose to send it to an anti-spam announcement-only message or something! More control is better. I would even like an option to have it send calls and texts from unknown sources (those not in my contacts) to an announce-only (or autoreply text) for unknown numbers (those not in my contacts).

    1. Re: NO Voicemail by Wycliffe · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I would love for it to go to a special gate where I could specify questions like âoeplease type the name of the personâ(TM)s daughterâ(TM)s name.â or âoeplease type the company of the person you are trying to reachâ. Most people should be able to come up with a question or two that legitimate callers would be able to answer.

    2. Re:NO Voicemail by Luthair · · Score: 3, Informative

      Usually these automated systems are designed to disconnect when they detect voicemail.

  4. I already do that (sort of) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    My default ring tone a few seconds of silence. Everyone on my contact list gets a custom ring tone. If I don't have the number on my contacts I don't hear it.

  5. Where there not already apps for this? by SuperKendall · · Score: 2

    I thought Android apps could intercept calls - I know there are iPhone apps (I use one) that can block calls it suspects are spam (though like this system it just goes to voice mail, not truly "blocked")...

    With one exception. If my phone number is 888-476-3059, Any call with the same "476" code (so 888-476-1234) cannot be blocked, though it can be marked as spam in the callerID. Does anyone know why those calls cannot be blocked? Is there a technical reason for that?

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Where there not already apps for this? by RhettLivingston · · Score: 4, Informative

      I don't know if there is a technical reason, but there is a good reason.

      Spammers are now spoofing numbers in your local exchange in hopes that you'll think they might be someone you know because it's a local number. If you call the number, you'll find that it is a real person's number, not the spammers. If you start blocking all of those numbers, you're not blocking spammers - they'll use a different local number every time - you're blocking your neighbors.

    2. Re:Where there not already apps for this? by timholman · · Score: 2

      Spammers are now spoofing numbers in your local exchange in hopes that you'll think they might be someone you know because it's a local number. If you call the number, you'll find that it is a real person's number, not the spammers. If you start blocking all of those numbers, you're not blocking spammers - they'll use a different local number every time - you're blocking your neighbors.

      Yep. I got a somewhat annoyed text message from someone just the other day, wondering why I called his number. Same area code, same prefix. I explained to him what had happened. The entire Caller ID concept is falling completely apart under the new spammer attacks. I've even had one friend say that she's been repeatedly called by her own phone number.

      What I don't understand is why the spammer problem hasn't long since been dealt with. It's not as if the technology is particularly new or novel. I've got an Obihai Obi110 attached to my home landline, configured as a call screener. If someone calls my number, they hear "You've reached xxx-xxxx. Please press 1 to continue." Unless 1 is pressed within 30 seconds, they'll get the "disconnected number" message, but my phone will never ring. In nearly three years, not one robocaller has made it through the screener, because the human in the call center never hears the opening message due to the switching delay.

      Why can't cell phones do something similar? The economics of robocalling rely on the call pick-up switching delay. The spammers can't afford to have a person listen to every phone message and punch the proper number to ring through. Make it so the challenge can be modified by the end-user, with whitelisted numbers from the user's directory, and you'll have a filter that will cripple the industry, at least until someone constructs an AI that is smart enough to listen to the challenge and answer it correctly.

  6. Nice, but too late by srichard25 · · Score: 2

    The Spammers are already on to the next tactic: spoofed numbers. I have Call Protect (powered by Hiya) installed. It used to catch the majority of spam callers and flag them as such. But lately, the spam callers are coming in using spoofed numbers that seem like valid phone numbers in my area code. It's a different number every time, so you won't find them in a spam caller registry. It's very difficult to determine whether it is a spam caller or someone from work calling me, so I pretty much have to pick up during the daytime.

    Why do the telephone companies allow callers to spoof the originating number?

    1. Re:Nice, but too late by mjwx · · Score: 2

      Why do the telephone companies allow callers to spoof the originating number?

      Because they're making money from the spammers.

      Phone companies could kill spam and scam calls dead, but they don't want to because it makes them money.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  7. Lame attempt by Stan92057 · · Score: 2

    Here,s the thing, when we block a number it should be BLOCKED not sent to voicemail. Their is no way in hell the phone industry is going to tell me they cant just end the call period end of story. They are already mining our conversations who we call when they call for how long,if we send files,images shared yet cant prevent a number from being blocked?? ....Lame attempt to pacify our Goverment to do something about telemarketers. This attempt will just allow the scumbags to deliver their messages nothing more.

    --
    Jack of all trades,master of none
  8. They are still too far behind by jbmartin6 · · Score: 2

    When will I get the ability to send numbers not in my contacts straight to voicemail? Why do I still have to look for an app to do this?

    --
    This posting is provided 'AS IS' without warranty of any kind, implied or otherwise.
  9. Truecaller used to be this by schwit1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Once upon a time Truecaller was a useful, simple phone spam app only needing access to your phone calls. These days Truecaller is a security abomination that constantly throws ads at you, requires access to everything on your phone and tries to replace your dialer and text messaging apps. It no longer has any redeemable value.