OP has pixel and is in the +1 area code from the picture meaning they are in America. So I don’t get why he/she is not using Google Call screen.

I still get spam calls, but my phone never rings or alerts me. The only way I find out is by occasionally opening call history. The assistant can recognize most spam automated messages and it automatically hangs up. For real spam callers; they mostly hang up when they realize they have to talk to a robot first.

I fixed that issue long ago by filling up my voicemail so no one can leave a voice message. Then have your voice mail tell people to send you a text.

You think switching your number is less complex than using call screen?

That would literally involve changing your number with most major web services you use including your bank BEFORE you get rid of your old number. Better hopr you don’t forget one because your not gonna get that sms verification code to log back in.

Would a way to legally bypass this be an app that can “encrypt” your text before your send it. The government would be able to see all of your messages but it would be scrambled in a way that they couldn’t read it.

Something where both people would install the same text scrambling app and generate the same key to scramble all text (would need to do in person). They would then type all their text into the app and it would scramble it. The user would then copy The Scrambled text and send it over any messaging platform they want. The recipient would need to copy the text and put it back into the scrambling app to descramble it.