Google Fi has a setting where you can have all unknown incoming calls screened by default. I wonder if that can be mandated across all telecoms.
It's not even about screening, I want anyone calling to make an appointment and not just interrupt whatever I'm doing.
It does? I've only ever seen the option to block calls identified as spam.
I've found the Google phone app's call screen to be nearly 100% effective at screening out spam calls. The ones that make it through and ring are those that don't engage with the assistant's questions at all, which is dumb. If I could reject callers that don't say anything to the screening questions I'd be golden.
If it’s not from a known contact, it’s probably not urgent and they can leave a message.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207099
« Turn on Silence Unknown Callers »
Debt collectors, doctors' receptionists, local police departments...all of these can be relatively urgent calls and will likely not be known contacts.
A big difference between spam callers and normal callers is that normal callers are extremely easy for you to contact back. Spammers want to call you, but don't want you to know who they are.
It's actually a good security practice to not give out any personal information to people who call you. It's easy to spoof your doctor's office's phone number and start the conversation with "please validate the last 4 of your social so we know it's you". The only way for me to validate that it's actually my doctor's office is for them to give me some info about me that isn't public knowledge, which they won't do until I've already given them private info.
Even if I did pick up when they answer, all I'd say is "Hey, I'm not comfortable giving out information to people who call me. I'm going to go look up your number and call you back, so I know you are who you say you are."
The only time I ever have an issue with calling back is when my doctor needs to talk to me directly, but I recognize my doctor's voice. Someone could spoof my doctor's voice, but I heavily doubt that anyone would go through that much trouble to get my SSN or anything. I'm just not that interesting of a target.
This feature is not blocking calls, it just disable ringing / vibrating. You get the notification of a missed call.
Nobody can expect you to be available at any time, even police officers. If they really need to speak to you now, they’ll come at you.