Currently, the number of calls that turn out to be opportunistic scammers is out of control. There are many tools available to combat scam calls, but Google has begun offering the best one yet.

The Google Phone app already has a directory feature that provides caller ID notification for numbers not in your contact list. In my experience, these are often not personal numbers, but are tied to businesses or contractors. So what should you do if you receive a call from a random unidentified number? Use the new "look up" button.

The idea is very simple. Suppose you receive a call from a random unidentified number. In the past, you might have Googled to find out who that number is, but the Lookup button saves you the trouble.

As its name suggests, it allows you to look up the origin of a phone number without having to carefully copy the number into a Google search. Not only is it easier and faster, but you don't accidentally call the number back in the process. In other words, you won't accidentally call a number with a spoofed premium rate.

What you can find out depends on how aggressively the number was called. But for most scam calls, you should be able to find out what scam they are peddling. That way, not only will you not have to pick up the phone, but you can report the number with the knowledge that it is not an innocent wrong number.

If there are no obvious consequences, rest assured it is probably not that big of a loss. If it was an important call, they should have left a voicemail. Next time, an email might do the trick.

The Lookup button was first announced with the Pixel June Feature Drop, but Android Police notes that it does not appear to be tied to that particular update. That would explain why there is no Lookup button on my Pixel 6 Pro, which I installed Feature Drop this morning.

Thankfully, this does not appear to be a feature that I need to activate myself. It's rolling out now, so odds are it will just show up in your phone app one day, without fanfare or ceremony. So keep an eye on your Google Phone app.