Another call from a mobile number you don't know, a recorded voice about a parcel, or a text at 3am saying someone needs urgent help. If you're getting scam calls most days, there's no single switch that stops them all, but a handful of settings and registrations make a real difference.
How to stop scam calls in Australia: the short answer
Use your phone's built-in spam filtering, block numbers as they come in, ask your telco what blocking it offers, and put your number on the Do Not Call Register for legitimate telemarketers. Report scam calls to Scamwatch. None of these is perfect on its own, but together they cut the volume noticeably.
The scale explains why it's worth the effort. Australians reported $2.18 billion in scam losses in 2025 across 481,523 reports, according to ACCC figures published in March 2026. Industry figures put the number of scam calls blocked by Australian telcos since 2020 at more than 2 billion, and plenty still get through.
Block scam calls on iPhone and Android
On an iPhone, open the Phone app, go to Recents, tap the info button next to a number and choose Block Caller. To cut out most unknown calls at once, turn on Silence Unknown Callers in the Phone settings. Calls from numbers not in your contacts go straight to voicemail and still show in Recents, so you can check them later.
On Android, press and hold a number in your call history and choose Block or Block/report spam. Most Android phones also have a spam or caller ID protection setting in the Phone app's settings that filters suspected scam calls before they ring. The exact menu names differ between Samsung, Google Pixel and other brands.
It's also worth calling your telco and asking what scam call filtering is on your account and whether international call barring is available, especially if you never ring overseas numbers.
Does the Do Not Call Register stop scam calls?
No, and it was never designed to. The Do Not Call Register is for legitimate telemarketers. Registration is permanent, and once you've registered, telemarketers have 30 days to stop calling you. Some callers are exempt, including charities and research organisations.
Scammers ignore the register entirely, so signing up won't reduce fraudulent calls. It will cut down sales calls from businesses that follow the rules, which makes the calls that remain easier to spot. You can register online or on 1300 792 958.
New rules for texts and scam calls in 2026 and 2027
From 1 July 2026, texts that use an unregistered sender ID, such as a business name shown in place of a phone number, appear as "Unverified" under ACMA rules. If a message claiming to be from your bank, a toll road or a delivery company shows that label, treat it with suspicion and contact the organisation through its own app or website.
The Scams Prevention Framework is the other big change. Banks, telcos and digital platforms were designated under it on 28 May 2026, and they have to comply from 31 March 2027. More information on scam rules for telcos is available from the ACMA.
Who called me? Checking a number before you answer
When a number you don't recognise keeps ringing, a quick lookup often tells you more than the caller would. Type it into UnknownDial and read what other Australians have reported.
Some recent examples show the range. On 0488822702, one commenter counted seven calls in about a week, starting with a request for a "short survey". On +61488822713, people describe calls that stop ringing just as they pick up, or silence when they answer. Comments on +61289125630 mention repeated calls on weekends and weekdays with no message, and a caller asking for information. On +61466828178, several people report texts late at night saying "call back right away, I need urgent help".
These are reports from users, and caller ID can be faked, so a scammer may be borrowing a number that belongs to someone else. A run of matching comments is a strong warning sign, even though it can't show who is really behind the calls.
I already answered, clicked or paid. What now?
- If you only answered and hung up, block the number. You don't need to do anything else.
- If you clicked a link in a text, don't enter anything on the page. If you already typed a password, change it on the real website or app and turn on two-step verification.
- If you gave card or bank details, or sent money, call your bank immediately on the number on your card. The sooner they know, the better the chance of stopping a payment.
- If you let someone onto your computer or phone with remote access software, disconnect from the internet and have the device checked before you use online banking again.
- If you handed over identity documents or your date of birth, contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160 for help with identity theft.
How to report a scam call in Australia
Report scam calls and texts to Scamwatch through its report a scam form. Include the number, the time, what the caller said and any links in texts. If a telemarketer keeps calling after your number has been on the Do Not Call Register for more than 30 days, you can complain through the register's website.
Then add a comment on the number's page on UnknownDial. Describe what happened in a sentence or two and leave out any personal details. A routine of block, report and comment takes a couple of minutes and makes the next call from that number easier for everyone to ignore.