How to Block Scam Websites on an Android Phone

SafePhone · Updated September 27, 2026

A single tap on an unfamiliar link in a text message, an ad or a Facebook comment is all it takes to lose your bank account. This guide shows how to block scam websites on an Android phone with SafePhone: every link is checked against a list of scam websites before it opens, and dangerous pages are blocked automatically.

Block scam websites with SafePhone

Why block scam websites on your phone?

Users — especially children and older adults — can accidentally open websites that run scams, spread malware or contain inappropriate content. Common difficulties include:

• Not being able to tell a real website from a fake one — many scam sites look exactly like a bank's
• Easily tapping unfamiliar links sent via SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger or scam ads
• Difficulty keeping control when a phone has several different browsers

That's why the most effective approach is to check links centrally in the default browser — where every link on the phone is opened.

Does Chrome block scam websites on its own?

Chrome has Google Safe Browsing, which warns you about malicious sites on a global list. However, it has limitations:

• Local scam sites appear daily and often haven't made it onto the global list yet
• You can't add websites you want to block for your family members
• Many scam sites use camouflage techniques to slip past automated scanners

See the detailed review in our article comparing scam website blocker apps.

How to block scam websites with SafePhone

SafePhone blocks blacklisted websites by acting as your phone's default browser. To turn it on:

1. Open the SafePhone app. If you haven't installed it yet, get SafePhone on Google Play.
2. Tap the box with title "URL Screener". Select "Grant link-protection permission".
3. Tap "Grant link-protection permission"
4. An instructions page appears, you should read it first then tap "Select "Grant link-protection permission"" once more.
5. On the next screen, tap "Browser app".
6. Select the row with the SafePhone logo and name.
7. Tap the back button to return to the home screen, or reopen the app.

Why does SafePhone need to be your default browser? On Android, it's the only way for an app to check a link before it opens — see the explanation in our article on URL screening permission on Android and iOS.

How SafePhone blocks scam links

Once it's on, whenever you tap a link — in a message, an email or another app — the link opens through SafePhone. SafePhone checks the domain against a blacklist of scam and malware-spreading sites; if there's a match, the page is blocked and you see a warning instead of the page content.

• The blacklist is collected and updated every day.
• Update the app regularly on Google Play to get the latest list.

Learn more in our article on how SafePhone works.

A note on links opened in messaging apps and Facebook

Some apps, such as Facebook, Messenger and other messaging apps, open links in a browser built into the app instead of the default browser. In that case, SafePhone won't check the link.

Stricter blocking for children and elderly users

A blacklist can only block sites that have already been detected. For family members who are easily scammed, you can also add:

• Block adult sites and allow only trusted websites — every site outside the list is blocked.
• Block ads on Android — remove ads that lead to scam sites.
• Alerts when a family member opens a suspicious link — find out right away so you can help in time.

Conclusion

Setting SafePhone as your default browser is a simple way to block scam websites across your whole phone, instead of configuring each browser separately. Combined with the habit of opening unfamiliar links in the browser and keeping the app updated, you and your family will be much safer from scam links.

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