I haven’t answered a scam call in months — this hidden iPhone feature is why

Hidden iPhone tips

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Hi, I’m Kaycee. Welcome to Hidden iPhone Tips, a weekly column where I dig into the best iOS features Apple doesn’t tell you about.

My phone number got compromised recently and scam calls started flooding in. Multiple calls daily from unknown numbers offering fake support, delivery notifications, and phishing attempts pretending to be my bank.

Your iPhone forces callers to identify themselves

When an unknown number calls, your iPhone intercepts it before ringing. The caller hears an automated message asking them to state their name and reason for calling. They record a brief response, which iPhone transcribes in real-time.

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You receive a notification showing the caller’s response as text. From there, you can answer the call, send it to voicemail, or decline it entirely. The caller waits while you review their message — they don’t know whether you’re screening them or genuinely unavailable.

Scammers almost always hang up when prompted to identify themselves. Robocalls can’t respond to the prompt at all. Legitimate callers simply state who they are and why they’re calling, then you decide whether to answer.

The feature only activates for numbers not in your contacts and not recently called. People you know ring through normally without screening.