How to Silence Spam and Scam Calls on Your Phone in Canada

Spam calls, robocalls and outright scam calls have become part of daily life for many Canadians. Some are annoying sales pitches. Others are far more serious, pretending to be the Canada Revenue Agency, your bank or a police service in order to steal money or personal information. You cannot stop every unwanted call, but you can cut the volume sharply with a few settings, a free national registry and some habits that make you a harder target. This guide covers iPhone and Android, plus the Canada-specific steps worth taking.

Step 1: Turn on silence unknown callers on iPhone

On an iPhone, open Settings, then Phone, then turn on Silence Unknown Callers. With this on, calls from numbers that are not in your contacts, recent outgoing calls or Siri suggestions go straight to voicemail and appear in your recent calls list. Your phone will not ring, which is the whole point, but legitimate callers can still leave a message.

This setting has one trade-off to know about. A doctor's office, a delivery driver or a job recruiter calling from a number you have not saved will also be silenced, so check voicemail regularly if you are expecting such a call.

Step 2: Turn on spam protection on Android

On a Google Pixel, open the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, then Settings, then Spam and Call Screen. Turn on See caller and spam ID, and consider turning on Call Screen, which can ask unknown callers to state their reason for calling before your phone rings. On a Samsung phone, open the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, then Settings, then Caller ID and spam protection, and turn it on. Many Samsung phones also offer a Smart Call feature with similar protection.

Android menus vary by brand, so if those paths do not match your phone, open Settings or the Phone app's settings and search for spam, caller ID or call screen. The wording differs, but the idea is the same: let the phone flag or filter calls that look like spam before they reach you.

Step 3: Register with the National Do Not Call List

Canada's National Do Not Call List, run by the CRTC, lets you register your phone number for free to reduce telemarketing calls from legitimate businesses. You can register online or by phone through the list's official site, and registration lasts indefinitely, although it is worth checking your registration if you change numbers.

Be clear about what this list does and does not do. It applies to telemarketers who follow the rules. It does not stop scammers, who ignore the law entirely, and it does not stop calls from organizations with an existing business relationship, charities, political parties or survey firms in the same way. Think of it as one layer, not a cure, and combine it with the phone settings above.

Step 4: Block numbers and report the worst offenders

When a spam or scam call gets through, block the number. On iPhone, open the Phone app, tap the info icon beside the number, scroll down and tap Block this Caller. On Android, open the Phone app, tap the number in recent calls, then tap Block or Report spam, depending on your phone. Blocking one number will not stop a scammer who spoofs a new number each time, but it does cut repeat calls from the same source.

Reporting matters too. You can report scam calls and texts to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and you can file a complaint about telemarketing calls with the CRTC. Reports help regulators spot patterns and warn others, even if they do not stop the next call to your phone personally. If a caller pretended to be your bank or a government agency, tell that organization as well, since they track impersonation scams closely.

Step 5: Learn the red flags so a call that rings still fails

Technology filters help, but your judgment is the last line of defence, and scammers count on urgency to beat it. Hang up if a caller demands immediate payment, threatens arrest or account closure, asks for gift cards or cryptocurrency, or pressures you to keep the call secret. Real government agencies and banks do not operate that way. The CRA does not demand payment by gift card, and a bank will not ask you to move money to a safe account over the phone.

Another red flag is a request for personal information you would not expect a caller to need, such as your full Social Insurance Number, online banking password or one-time code. Never share those with an incoming caller, no matter how official they sound. If you are worried a call might be genuine, hang up and call the organization back on a number from its official website or the back of your card, not on any number the caller gave you.

Step 6: Protect your number going forward

Scammers get numbers from data breaches, public listings and forms, so a little care helps over time. Avoid entering your phone number on unfamiliar websites or contest forms, and think twice before posting it publicly on social media or marketplace listings. If a form insists on a number but does not really need it, consider whether the service is worth it.

For high-risk situations, such as selling something online, you can use a secondary number or a messaging app instead of your main number until you trust the other person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will blocking spam calls stop scammers from calling me completely?

No, and anyone who promises that is overselling it. Scammers spoof numbers and rotate them constantly, so some calls will still get through. The combination of phone settings, carrier tools, the Do Not Call List and good habits cuts the volume and makes the calls that do arrive easier to spot.

Should I answer a spam call just to ask to be removed?

It is better not to engage. Answering confirms your number is active, and arguing with a scammer wastes your time without removing you from their list. Let unknown calls go to voicemail, block the number, and report it if it was a scam attempt.

What should I do if I already shared personal information with a scam caller?

Act quickly. Contact your bank if any financial details were shared, change passwords for affected accounts, and consider placing a fraud alert with Equifax and TransUnion in Canada. Then report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and, if money was lost, to your local police as well.