PTA Urges Pakistanis to Enable Spam Protection on Their Phones

Pakistan’s telecom regulator is encouraging mobile users to turn on caller-identification and spam-blocking features on their smartphones as part of efforts to reduce exposure to fraudulent calls and messages.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has repeatedly warned that scammers are using spoofed phone numbers and fake UAN-style caller IDs to impersonate government organisations, banks and digital-wallet services.

Fraudsters may pretend to represent organisations such as PTA, cybercrime authorities, banks, JazzCash or Easypaisa and attempt to convince victims to reveal passwords, one-time passwords, PINs, CNIC information or other sensitive details.

One practical measure recommended for smartphone users is enabling the device’s built-in spam protection or caller-identification feature.

However, there is an important detail: the setting is not identical on every smartphone.

Android phones using Google’s Phone app generally call it Caller ID & spam protection, while current iPhones provide several related controls for identifying, screening, filtering or silencing suspected spam and unknown callers.

What Setting Does PTA Want Users to Enable?

The setting being highlighted is essentially spam-call protection.

Depending on the smartphone, it may appear under names such as:

• Caller ID & Spam
• Spam Protection
• Filter Spam Calls
• Caller ID and Spam Protection
• Spam
• Call Screening
• Silence Junk Callers

PTA’s broader recommendation is to use these built-in security features to reduce the chance of interacting with suspicious callers.

This does not mean that every spam call will automatically be blocked.

The effectiveness depends on whether the phone manufacturer, operating system, mobile operator or spam-detection provider has already identified the incoming number as suspicious.

Why Has PTA Issued Scam Warnings?

PTA has repeatedly warned users about criminals impersonating legitimate organisations.

One recurring method involves caller-ID spoofing.

Spoofing allows a caller to manipulate the number displayed on the recipient’s phone so that the call appears to originate from a legitimate or familiar source.

PTA has specifically warned about fake or modified UAN numbers being used to create the impression that a call originates from an official organisation.

A scammer may claim that:

• Your SIM will be blocked.
• Your bank account will be frozen.
• Your mobile wallet will be suspended.
• Your CNIC is involved in illegal activity.
• An urgent verification is required.
• You have received a prize or refund.
• An account has been compromised.

The caller may then request sensitive information or send a malicious link.

PTA Says Official Organisations Will Not Ask for OTPs

One of PTA’s most important warnings is that legitimate organisations do not ask users to provide sensitive credentials through unexpected calls or messages.

PTA’s official awareness material warns users not to disclose information such as:

• OTP codes
• PIN numbers
• Passwords
• CNIC details
• Biometric information
• Banking credentials

to unsolicited callers or message senders claiming to represent government agencies, financial institutions or digital-wallet providers.

An OTP is particularly sensitive because it is frequently used as the final authentication step for banking transactions, account logins or password resets.

Anyone who obtains the code may be able to complete an action that the legitimate account holder never authorised.

How to Enable Spam Protection on Android

Android settings vary by manufacturer.

For smartphones using Google’s Phone app, Google says users can enable its caller-identification and spam system through the Phone application.

The usual path is:

Phone app → More options → Settings → Caller ID & spam

Then enable:

See caller ID & spam

Users may also see:

Filter spam calls

Turning this on can automatically filter calls that Google identifies as spam.

Google says calls filtered in this way remain available in the user’s call history, although the phone may not provide the normal missed-call notification.

What Does Google’s Caller ID & Spam Protection Do?

With the feature enabled, Google can provide information about callers that are not stored in the user’s contacts and warn when an incoming number has been associated with spam.

Google says signals can include reports submitted by other users.

When Google determines that a caller is likely to be spam, the incoming-call screen can display a warning.

Users can also manually report unwanted numbers.

In Google’s Phone app:

Phone → Recents → Select call → Block or Report spam

Reporting suspicious calls can help improve spam detection for other users.

Some Android Phones Also Support Scam Detection

Certain newer Android devices offer more advanced protection.

Google’s Phone app now supports Scam Detection on compatible devices and in supported regions.

The feature analyses calls for conversational patterns commonly associated with scams and can warn the user during the call.

Google says compatible implementations perform scam detection on-device and do not send the conversation audio to its servers.

However, this should not be confused with PTA’s basic recommendation.

Not every Android phone in Pakistan supports Google’s advanced Scam Detection feature.

The more widely available protection remains caller ID and spam filtering.

How to Enable Spam Protection on iPhone

Apple provides a different set of options on current versions of iOS.

Users can go to:

Settings → Apps → Phone

Apple provides controls including caller identification, call screening and filtering.

Depending on the iPhone, carrier and iOS version, users may see options that can:

• Identify business callers.
• Use supported caller-ID applications.
• Screen unknown callers.
• Silence unknown numbers.
• Filter suspected spam.
• Send spam calls to voicemail.

Apple’s current documentation says calls identified as potential spam can be silenced and moved into a dedicated Spam section where supported.

Should iPhone Users Silence Every Unknown Caller?

Not necessarily.

Automatically silencing every number that is not stored in contacts can reduce nuisance calls, but it can also cause users to miss legitimate calls.

For example, an unknown number could belong to:

• A hospital
• A delivery rider
• A new employer
• A school
• A bank
• A government department
• An emergency contact
• A business you recently contacted

Current iPhones provide call-screening options that can ask unknown callers for their name and reason for calling before the phone rings.

Where available, that can offer a middle ground between answering every unknown call and blocking all of them.

Spam Protection Is Not Foolproof

Spam filters are useful, but they should not be treated as perfect protection.

A scammer may use:

• A newly activated SIM
• A number that has not yet been reported
• Spoofed caller ID
• A compromised legitimate account
• WhatsApp or another internet-calling service
• A foreign number
• A previously trusted number

In those cases, a phone’s spam database may not recognise the call immediately.

Users still need to assess the caller’s behaviour.

A request for an OTP, password, remote access to the phone or an urgent money transfer should be treated as a major warning sign regardless of what number appears on the screen.

Caller ID Can Be Faked

A familiar-looking caller ID does not guarantee the person calling is genuine.

Spoofing technology can make an incoming call appear to originate from a number different from its true source.

That is particularly dangerous when scammers copy the appearance of official UAN or helpline numbers.

PTA’s own public warnings specifically refer to the use of spoofed and false UAN numbers in fraud attempts.

If someone unexpectedly calls claiming to represent a bank or other organisation, one safer approach is to end the call and contact the organisation independently using the official number printed on its website, app or bank card.

Never Trust an Incoming Call Simply Because the Number Looks Official

Caller identification should therefore be treated as one security signal rather than proof.

Suppose a caller ID appears to show the name of a bank.

The caller then claims suspicious activity has occurred and asks you to read an OTP.

Even if the displayed phone number appears legitimate, the OTP request itself is enough reason to stop the conversation.

Users should contact the bank through its official application or published helpline.

Suspicious Links Are Another Major Risk

Fraud calls are often combined with phishing links.

A scammer may tell the victim that a problem can be fixed by opening an SMS or WhatsApp link.

That website may imitate:

• A bank login page
• PTA
• A government portal
• Easypaisa
• JazzCash
• A courier company
• An online store

The user is then asked to enter credentials.

PTA has repeatedly warned people against opening unknown or suspicious links and says neither the authority nor banks will request passwords, OTPs or financial information through unsolicited calls, messages or emails.

What If You Receive a Suspicious Call?

Receiving a suspected scam call does not mean the user’s phone has necessarily been hacked.

The safest response is usually to avoid engaging with the caller.

Do not provide sensitive information.

Do not install an application at the caller’s request.

Do not enable screen sharing.

Do not send money.

Do not follow links sent by the caller.

Instead, independently verify the organisation’s identity.

If appropriate, block and report the number using the phone’s built-in tools.

PTA Has a Complaint System for Telecom Users

Users can also submit complaints through PTA’s Complaint Management System.

PTA’s CMS allows verified users to register complaints, track their progress and provide supporting information.

PTA has also upgraded its CMS application for Android and iOS and added functionality for reporting suspected fraudulent activity involving mobile numbers.

This gives consumers an official route for escalating suspicious telecom activity rather than relying solely on blocking the number locally.

Spam SMS Can Also Be Reported

PTA has previously advised consumers on reporting unsolicited communications.

One of its official anti-spam messages instructs users to send the spam sender’s number and message to 9000.

Consumers should distinguish ordinary commercial promotions from messages designed to steal credentials.

A phishing SMS requires greater caution because interacting with the embedded link can potentially compromise personal or financial information.

What About WhatsApp Scam Calls?

Phone-level spam protection primarily applies to calls handled through the device’s normal telephone service.

WhatsApp calls use WhatsApp’s internet-based calling system.

They therefore may not be filtered by the same telephone spam database.

Users should use WhatsApp’s own privacy, blocking and reporting tools for suspicious accounts.

This is another reason why enabling the phone setting alone cannot eliminate every scam attempt.

Keep the Phone Updated

Users should also keep their operating system and phone applications updated.

Security updates can fix weaknesses discovered after a smartphone is released.

An outdated device may remain vulnerable even if spam-call filtering is enabled.

Apps should preferably be installed through trusted sources such as the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store rather than files supplied through an unknown message.

Is a Third-Party Spam App Necessary?

Not necessarily.

Many modern Android phones and iPhones already include spam detection and caller-identification features.

For Android devices using Google’s Phone app, Caller ID & Spam protection is built in.

Apple similarly provides native caller identification, screening and spam filtering controls on supported iPhones.

Third-party caller-identification applications can provide additional databases and functionality, but they also require permissions and may process information differently.

Users should review an application’s privacy practices before granting access to calls, contacts or messages.

A Spam Warning Does Not Prove Criminal Activity

There is another important limitation.

A phone number being marked “Spam” does not necessarily prove that its owner is committing fraud.

Numbers may be flagged because users repeatedly reported unwanted promotional or robocalls.

False positives are also possible.

Google allows users to report when a legitimate number has been incorrectly labelled as spam.

The label should therefore be understood as a warning that deserves caution rather than a legal determination.

PTA’s Warning Is Part of a Wider Cyber-Safety Campaign

PTA has issued repeated digital-safety advisories covering phishing, courier scams, fake jobs, spoofed calls and fraudulent messages.

The regulator’s messaging follows a consistent theme:

verify before trusting.

Its official posts repeatedly remind users that cybercriminals use urgency, impersonation and familiar brands to convince victims to act before checking whether the request is genuine.

Spam protection is therefore only one component of a broader security strategy.

Important Clarification About the “Setting”

The headline suggesting PTA wants everyone to enable “this setting” can give the impression that there is one PTA-developed switch available on every smartphone.

That is not quite accurate.

PTA is recommending the use of spam-blocking functionality already provided by phones, operating systems, carriers or supported caller-ID services.

The setting’s name and capabilities depend on the device.

On many Android devices using Google’s Phone app, it is:

Caller ID & spam → Filter spam calls

On current iPhones, related controls are located under:

Settings → Apps → Phone

where users can configure call identification, spam filtering and unknown-caller screening.

Bottom Line

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is encouraging consumers to use spam-blocking and caller-identification features on their smartphones as part of efforts to reduce exposure to scam calls.

The advice follows repeated PTA warnings about criminals using spoofed or fake UAN-style numbers to impersonate government agencies, banks and digital-wallet services.

On Android phones using Google’s Phone app, users can generally open:

Phone → Settings → Caller ID & spam

and turn on caller-ID and spam protection, with an additional Filter spam calls option available on supported devices.

On iPhone, users can find related tools under:

Settings → Apps → Phone

including options for caller identification, screening unknown numbers and filtering suspected spam depending on the device and carrier.

But the setting should be treated as an extra layer of defence rather than a complete solution.

The most important protections remain straightforward: never share OTPs, PINs, passwords or banking credentials with an unsolicited caller, never trust a caller solely because the displayed number looks official, and independently verify suspicious requests using the organisation’s genuine contact details.