Warning Before You Answer: Bell Uses AI to Detect Spoofed Calls in Canada

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published July 29, 2026

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Bell has introduced an enhanced suspicious-call detection system that uses artificial intelligence to identify calls displaying falsified numbers or impersonating trusted organizations, businesses and personal contacts.

The telecommunications company says it has become the first Canadian carrier to use an AI-powered model to identify and flag caller ID spoofing in real time. The new capability expands Bell’s existing Suspicious Call Detection service beyond conventional spam and fraud monitoring to identify more sophisticated spoofing activity. The “first in Canada” designation is a claim made by Bell.

Caller ID spoofing occurs when a caller alters the name or telephone number displayed on the recipient’s device. Fraudsters may make a call appear to come from a bank, government department, well-known company or familiar contact. They may also use a number resembling the recipient’s local area code to increase the likelihood that the call will be answered.

Under Bell’s system, calls assessed as highly suspicious may appear with a “Likely Fraud” warning, while calls considered potentially unsolicited may be labelled “Possible Spam.” Bell says the technology can also proactively block certain high-risk fraudulent calls before they reach customers.

The enhanced feature is being activated automatically on iOS and Android devices connected to Bell, Virgin Plus, Lucky Mobile, PC Mobile, No Name and Maxi mobile services, with no opt-in required. Bell’s support page says the feature is included with Bell Mobility plans and cannot be disabled, although spam protection built into some Android devices may override Bell’s warning labels.

Bell says its original Suspicious Call Detection service has analyzed more than 4.4 billion calls since its 2025 launch and has blocked or labelled over 540 million suspicious or fraudulent calls. Those figures do not necessarily mean every labelled call was confirmed as fraudulent, as the system uses automated analysis to assess potential risk.

The company acknowledges that important calls may occasionally be mislabelled and advises customers to save essential numbers, including those belonging to doctors and hospitals, in their contact lists. A call appearing without a warning should not automatically be considered safe, as fraudsters continually adjust their methods.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission advises people not to provide banking information, passwords or other sensitive details during an unexpected call. Anyone in doubt should hang up and contact the organization through a verified number listed on its official website or account statement. Suspected fraudulent or spoofed calls can be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.