The problem of intrusive advertising calls and fraudulent attacks has become especially acute for owners of budget and mid-budget smartphones. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro, despite its popularity and excellent characteristics, often faces a flood of unwanted calls. Standard Android security features in conjunction with the MIUI shell offer powerful tools, but they are not always activated by default or require fine-tuning for maximum efficiency.
Device owners often ignore embedded filters, relying on third-party applications that can overload the system or collect personal data. However, with the right sequence of actions, you can turn your smartphone into an impregnable fortress using only native functionality and proven databases. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods of protection, from basic settings to advanced lock scenarios.
Effectively combating spam requires a comprehensive approach, as scammers constantly change tactics. We will look at how the “Black List” in the shell of MIUI works, how to connect the cloud databases of numbers from Yandex and Google, and also discuss the nuances of blocking hidden numbers.
Built-in Antivirus and MIUI Security Center
Xiaomi’s first defense in smartphones is its Security System App, which is not just a virus scanner, but a powerful harvester that includes a call blocker module, which, unlike third-party solutions, has deep call permissions that allow it to cut off spam even before the phone starts ringing or vibrating.
To activate the protection, you need to open the application and find the Antispam section, which hides the basic filtering settings, and it is important to understand that the standard algorithm can be too soft for Russian realities, so it needs to be “trained” or strengthened by connecting additional databases, without this step, the effectiveness of protection is reduced by 60-70%.
Key features of this module include keyword blocking in SMS, banning calls from certain prefixes and intelligent identification of advertising numbers.The user can flexibly configure exceptions so that important calls from courier services or doctors are not lost in the overall block flow.
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Enable blocked call notifications in the Antispam settings to see who tried to reach you, even if the phone was silent.
Setting up the “Black List” and filtering calls
The main manual and automatic lock tool is in the call settings menu. To get there, open the Phone app (green handset), click three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings. Then go to the "Block" or "Antispam" section. This is where the unwanted contact list is managed.
In this menu, you can activate the Blacklist, which will include numbers marked as spam by other users. However, in order for the system to work effectively, it must be allowed access to updated databases. In some regions and firmware versions, this requires separate confirmation or switching of the Toggle "Use online services".
Special attention should be paid to the hidden number lock settings. Fraudsters often use AON technology to hide their ID. Filtering settings can set a strict ban on receiving such calls. This is a radical measure, but it cuts off a significant number of automatic callers.
☑️ Setting up the Black List
Remember that settings that are too aggressive can lead to you missing an important call from someone who has hidden a number for privacy reasons (such as a psychologist or lawyer), so you should weigh the risks before turning on a total lockdown of hidden subscribers.
Integration with Google and Yandex: Cloud Databases
The most effective way to combat spam is to use cloud databases that are updated in real time. On the Redmi Note 9 Pro smartphone, you can use definitions from Google and Yandex simultaneously, although priority is usually given to one of them. Google works at the Android system level, and Yandex is integrated through the Yandex or Yandex with Alice application.
To activate protection from Google, go to Settings on your smartphone, then to Apps → All Apps → Phone (or Call Management). Find Number Defineer and Spam Protection and turn it on. The system will suggest using Google services. This allows you to mark incoming calls as “Maybe spam” in red, even if the number is not in your phone book.
Integration with Yandex requires installing the main ecosystem application. Once installed and authorized, go to the settings of the Yandex application, find the “number detector” section and activate it. You also need to give the application permission to work with calls. After that, the Yandex logo will appear in the call log, and spammers will be determined with high accuracy thanks to the huge database of user complaints in the CIS.
| Service | Type of integration | Accuracy in RF/CIS | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Assistant | Systemic | Medium | Low. |
| Yandex | Annex | Very high. | Average. |
| Kaspersky Who Calls | Annex | Tall. | Low. |
| GetContact | Annex | Tall. | High. |
It is worth noting that using third-party number identifiers can call into question the privacy of your phone book, as contact data is often uploaded to the service's servers for reconciliation.
Blocking advertising in applications and browser
Often, not only voice calls, but pop-up ads that mimic an incoming call or system notification are a source of irritation, as is the case with cheap flashlight apps, accelerators, and dubious games. On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro, the built-in Ad Protection feature in the browser and customization of special features helps to combat this.
To secure your Mi Browser or Chrome browser, go to their settings and look for Privacy & Security. Activate pop-up blocking. However, if the ad appears on your desktop, the malicious app is already installed. In this case, go to Settings → Apps → All apps and look for suspicious programs without a name or with a shell icon.
Removing these programs requires care. Sometimes they disguise themselves as system processes. If you can't remove an application through the standard menu (the Remove button is inactive), then it has device administrator rights. They need to be selected under Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Special Access → Device Administrator Applications.
⚠️ Warning: If the ad hasn't disappeared after removing the suspicious app, check to see if it's re-installed. Some viruses have a self-healing mechanism through hidden Google Play services.
Use of third-party blocking applications
If MIUI is not built in, the market offers tailored solutions, such as Kaspersky Who Calls and GetContact, which use their own machine learning and crowdsourcing algorithms to identify new fraud schemes, and installing such an app can be a crucial factor in the fight against spam.
Kaspersky Who Calls is good because it has a strict privacy policy and doesn't require access to the entire phone book in plain form, working through hashing numbers. The app detects not only spam, but also telemarketing, banks and delivery services, and it allows you to sort incoming calls by category.
GetContact, for its part, is famous for its feature of browsing tags that people have assigned to your number, but its core functionality is a powerful spam database, and the downside can be intrusive advertising in the free version and requiring access to contacts to work properly, and the user chooses between them, balancing functionality and privacy.
How do the number detectors work?
When installing any third-party blocker on the Redmi Note 9 Pro, be sure to give it permission to work in the background. MIUI is known for its aggressive energy saving and can "kill" the blocker process, after which the spam will start to pass again.
Registration in the register of unwanted subscribers (RNNA)
In Russia, there is a legal way to combat robotic spam, the Federal Register of Subscriber Numbers (RNNA), which is a government service that allows telecom operators to ban connections from advertisers using automated dialing systems, which is not a panacea for live scammers, but it is a great way to cut off robots.
To register, you need to have a confirmed public service account, the process is completely free and takes a few minutes, and after applying, telecom operators are required to update their databases within 30 days and stop skipping advertising calls to your number, which works at the network level, regardless of the phone model.
It is important to understand the limitations of this method, which will not protect against calls of white bank numbers (unless you have blocked the mailing in the bank’s personal account) and from fraudsters using the Internet. SIM-Third-party cards or drops, but the number of purely promotional calls will drop significantly.
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Registration in the RNNA is a legal barrier for legal TV advertising spam, which complements the technical lock at the smartphone level.