(Hiya Photo)

GoDaddy is teaming with Seattle-based startup Hiya to provide an answer for when not to answer your phone.

In an effort to block some of the billions of unwanted robocalls that plague customers, GoDaddy has launched the Spam Call Filter in its SmartLine mobile app. The feature was produced in partnership with Hiya, which works to make the smartphone experience smarter through protection against scam calls.

The new feature will rely on the analysis of billions of global incoming calls per month, as well as expansive algorithms, to send robocalls from known black lists straight to voicemail. Those calls will be labeled as spam in GoDaddy’s SmartLine call history, aimed especially at small business owners and the desire to eliminate unnecessary interruptions.

Robocalls are a huge problem for mobile users in the U.S. Hiya’s recent State of The Call report found that 25.3 billion unwanted robocalls were made to U.S. mobile phones in the first half of 2019.

(Hiya Graphic)

CNET reported last week on what the government, technology companies and customers can do to stop robocalls. And The Hill reported that the spam call problem is so pervasive that Americans lost more than $10 billion last year thanks to fake charity appeals and bogus IRS tax delinquency notices, among other scams.

Amazon customers were targeted in one particular scheme earlier this year, in which scammers pretending to be customer service agents contacted Amazon customers about questionable log-in activity and asked them to call to reset their accounts.

Founded in 2016 and spun out of Whitepages, Hiya says it protects nearly 100 million users from unwanted scam and nuisance calls globally.

“SmartLine’s Spam Call Filter leverages Hiya’s market leading spam detection platform to ensure business owners are protected from nuisance and scam calls,” Alex Algard, CEO of Hiya, said in a news release. “We are pleased to partner with GoDaddy as they play a leading role in restoring trust in the mobile call by tackling one of the biggest issues currently impacting people worldwide.”

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.