Bruna Barbosa | February 15, 2019
Tips for Protecting Your Call Privacy
Protecting your privacy in this digital age isn’t easy, but you can start by safeguarding the most basic functions of your phone: calls and messages. Whether you’re dealing with telemarketer calls, automated messages, or a persistent ex, boost your call privacy with these simple tips.
How to Make a Private Call
The next time you need to call a business for a quote or contact a stranger about a classified ad, consider calling anonymously. Preventative steps like this can save you from unexpected calls later on. just dial *67 and then enter the number you wish to call. Your caller ID temporarily drops and the recipient won’t have access to your number.
How to Make Your Number Private
While *67 works like a charm for one phone call, you may wish for a more permanent option. Open your mobile phone’s settings, find “Caller ID,” and turn it off. This step-by-step guide for iPhones, Android, and landline phones shows you exactly where to look. You could also use a temporary number through paid apps like Burner or Hushed, which allow you to make calls and send messages without revealing your personal number.
Google Voice, a free service, creates a Google number that forwards calls to your phone. You can give out either your real or Google phone number depending on the circumstances.
Further decrease the number of unwanted calls you receive by adding your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry. It’s backed by the Federal Trade Commission, and any legitimate businesses that wish to make sales calls must honor it and not call you.
How to Call Back a Private Number
If you ever need to call back a private number, dial *69, and your carrier will automatically connect you with the number that last called you. If that doesn’t work, check your online account with your service provider for a call record. It lists all the phone numbers that have contacted you—even the anonymous callers. But if it doesn’t, you can request a call log directly from your provider.
For smartphones, apps like TrapCall or Truecaller can unmask private callers or even require them to leave a recording with their name before you accept the call. These apps can also filter unwanted calls and robocalls.
Pair your newfound knowledge about blocked calls with quality phone service so every call you make is clear and reliable. And if you want to learn more about which phone codes you can use before or after calls, look through NANPA’s (North American Numbering Plan Administration) Vertical Service Codes list.
