What is Scam Likely & Why Are They Calling Me?

Have you ever wondered why some unknown numbers that call your phone are labeled as “Scam Risk” or Scam Likely? Thanks to advances in telephone technology, the caller ID display now helps us decide which calls to answer. This feature has really changed how confidently we pick up the phone.

Now, instead of simply answering calls from unknown numbers and hoping for the best, most of our phones will alert us when a call might be suspicious. But what do these alerts actually mean, and how should you react when you see them? Understanding these warnings is important for your safety, especially with the rise in scam and unwanted calls. This guide will help you recognize why these alerts show up and what steps to take when they do.

When you see “Scam Likely” pop up on your phone during an incoming call, it’s a helpful warning from your network provider. Many carriers automatically use large lists of known scam numbers and will flag those calls for you, so you don’t have to do anything special to activate this feature.

The alert appears if someone from those lists tries to call, whether it’s a robocall or someone pretending to represent a real organization. “Scam Likely” is your signal to be careful—these warnings are based on protections put in place by the FCC and are used by major carriers like T-Mobile since 2018 to identify suspicious calls.

Keep in mind, though, that no system is perfect: occasionally a genuine call may be flagged by mistake. If you missed a call from someone not in your contacts, it’s a good idea to check your call history or spam folder, just in case a real caller was incorrectly identified as a scam.

Types of Scam Likely Calls

Scam calls, which are often unwanted and sometimes illegal, can come in several different forms:

1. Telemarketing

Telemarketing calls are when someone tries to sell you products like books or gadgets over the phone. Sometimes, they use convincing stories or time-limited deals that seem too good to miss (making you feel a sense of FOMO—fear of missing out). Unfortunately, many people have been tricked by these calls, either losing money on low-quality products or sharing sensitive personal information by mistake.

2. Legal robocalls

Legal robocalls are automated messages that play when you answer the phone. Some examples include political calls, bill payment reminders, or requests for donations from charities. While these types of calls are allowed, getting them too often can become annoying—like hearing the same song day after day.

3. Illegal robocalls

Illegal robocalls don’t follow the rules and often make false promises or unbelievable offers. For example, in 2022, the largest robocall scammers in history, Cox/Jones Enterprises, were caught and fined a record $300 million for making lots of fake calls about car warranties and other scams.

Can I trust Scam Likely calls?

You should always be very cautious when answering these calls. Most of the time, they are from people trying to trick you, so do not share any personal or sensitive information with them. If a call feels suspicious or you don’t recognize the number, it’s perfectly safe to ignore it.

If the call is important or from someone you know, they’ll usually leave a voicemail or try reaching you another way. Some scammers may also try to get information from you by sounding very convincing. If a conversation starts to feel suspicious, it’s okay to politely hang up. Staying alert is the best way to protect yourself on the phone.

How to Avoid Scam Likely calls? 

Major phone carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon all have ways to detect and warn you about scam calls. These companies keep a list of known scam numbers, and you can also enable settings on your phone to block unknown callers.

On iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
   

   

2. Look for the Phone option and tap on it.
   

   

3. Tap on “Silence Unknown Callers“.
   

   

4. Turn the toggle on (green) to allow your phone to block spam calls.
   

   

On Android:

To use these spam filtering features on an Android device, you’ll need to have the Google Phone app installed.

1. Open the Phone app and tap the 3 dots in the top right corner.
   

   

2. Choose “Settings“.
   

   

3. Find “Caller ID and Spam“.
   

   

4. Turn on the toggle to enable call alerts.
   

   

How to Block Scam Likely Calls with your Network Provider?

Blocking scam calls is simple with the tools and apps offered by your network provider. These services can help you stop most spam calls before they reach you.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile labels possible scam calls as “Scam Likely” and offers an app called Scam Shield to help you manage suspicious calls. The app is available for both iOS and Android users. If you don’t want to use the app, you can just dial #662# from your phone to automatically block scam calls.

2. AT&T

AT&T helps fight scam calls with its AT&T ActiveArmor app, which also protects your Wi-Fi connection. The company says it blocks about 10 million scam calls every day. If you get a scam call you want to block, you can also dial *61# after the call to block that number.

3. Verizon

Verizon provides a free app called Call Filter, which helps with basic scam call protection. It’s available for both iOS and Android devices. If you want even more features, you can upgrade to Call Filter Plus for $3.99 per month. To report a spam call, dial *57# for Verizon’s extra assistance.