Set up the Carmen app.

Install Carmen Guardian

Install Carmen Guardian from the App Store. That is the store name of the Carmen app.

On Android: install it from Google Play.

Open it and sign in

The first screen says Meet Carmen. Tap Sign in with Backgrounder and sign in. Tap through the short intro.

Turn on protection

The last setup screen is Turn on protection. Tap Set up Messages.

Start with Messages. Carmen will explain the system step before opening Settings.

Choose Carmen Guardian as your text filter

Carmen shows you what to pick, then opens the iPhone setting. Under Text Message Filtering choose Carmen Guardian. Come back to the app and tap I selected Carmen Guardian.

If the setting did not open: Settings, Apps, Messages, Text Message Filtering. On older iOS: Settings, Messages, Unknown and Spam, SMS Filtering.

On Android: Settings, Apps, Default apps, Spam protection.

Turn off Apple’s Filter Spam

On iOS 26 the same Messages settings screen has Apple's own Filter Spam switch, on by default. Turn it off. If it stays on, Apple keeps the texts and Carmen never sees them. The app cannot check this for you, so do it now.

On Android: skip this iPhone setting.

Allow notifications when asked

Carmen asks once, after setup.

Run your first check

Paste a text you were not sure about into Ask Carmen and tap Ask. The next SMS from an unknown number is screened on its own.