A restricted call is a term used to describe whenever a person or company wants to block their number from the person they are calling. Under normal circumstances, a number or name will be provided via caller ID when a call is made.
The call log of your phone will also record this information. If the number is restricted, then this information won’t be provided, and the caller will remain anonymous. Furthermore, these calls can show up as anonymous on your phone log too, and you might not even be able to see the information on your monthly bill.
As technology progresses, these restricted calls have become more difficult to trace and even harder to block.
What’s the Deal With Restricted Calls?
Restricted calls are primarily used whenever an individual or company doesn’t want the person they’re calling to know who they are or trace the call back to them. The feature is usually part of a service that is simple to set up and is made available by all telecom providers.
One of the more common tactics for enabling a restricted call is entering in *67 before making a call. What will happen is that the call will go through as normal, but with “restricted,” “unknown,” or “private” appearing instead of your actual phone number.
If you’re calling a friend, though, you would most likely prefer them to see that it’s you to answer. So then, who exactly is it that needs to disguise themselves using this feature?
Who Uses Restricted Calls?
Although some people may use this tactic as a form of extra privacy, it’s most commonly used by robocalls, telemarketers, and bill collection agencies. That’s not to say that all instances of restricted calls are made to scam you out of money.
However, the caller is specifically choosing to disable their caller ID in an attempt to remain anonymous. It doesn’t make a lot of sense for someone you know and trust to go through the trouble of disguising their number.
Therefore, it is most likely someone you either don’t know making the call or someone you are trying to avoid. This raises the question of what you should do if you receive a restricted call.
Should You Answer Restricted Calls?
It won't always be a scammer or bill collector on the other end of a restricted call, but the chances are fairly likely that it will be. Answering a phone call from someone that is trying to hide their true identity is a bit like opening your front door to someone wearing a face mask. It’s not guaranteed that it will end negatively, but it’s not very likely to end up being beneficial either.
When it comes to a restricted call, it’s best to ignore it and let them leave a voicemail if they are so eager to make contact. If restricted callers do not leave a message explaining their call and how to reach them, it was most likely a scammer or robocall.
What Can You Do If You Constantly Get Restricted Calls?
Having your phone ringing almost nonstop throughout the day can be a highly irritating experience. Unfortunately, that’s starting to become a regular occurrence since it seems that robocalls and spam are on the rise lately.
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A few laws have been created over the years designed to help reduce the number of these calls, but they are not effective at stopping all of the calls. So if you are frequently receiving these intruding calls, you will most likely have to deal with it yourself. There are a few options available for blocking these restricted calls.
How To Find A Restricted Phone Number
There are plenty of legitimate reasons why someone may wish to make a restricted call. If you are constantly receiving calls from a restricted number, there are a few things that you can do instead of just dealing with it or changing your number.
Most people have caller ID on their landline or smartphone and can see who is calling. But there are those times when the only information you see on your caller ID screen is the word “restricted.” This can be anything from a friend or relative who has an unlisted number to a telemarketing company trying to hide their information. If restricted calls get to be a problem, there are ways to get the phone number and use it to stop the harassment.
Do A Call Trace
If you are trying to find a restricted number because of harassing phone calls, then you can contact your phone company and ask that a trace be put on your phone. Once the restricted number calls you, you hang up and dial *57 to initiate the trace. The phone company will charge you for each trace, but you cannot receive the results directly. The results of a phone trace can only be sent to courts or legal authorities.
Look At Your Phone Bill
While a call might show up as restricted on your caller ID, there is a chance that the phone company will still print the number on your next phone bill. When you get a restricted call, you need to write down the exact date and time the call was received. When you get your bill, take a look at the entry for that time and see if the number is listed.
Contact Your Carrier
Some phone companies will offer to give you a restricted number if you can provide a good reason for doing so. Threatening phone calls or obscene calls can often be revealed immediately through the phone company’s network, and the company can choose to release that information to you directly.
Set Your Phone To Reject Restricted Calls
Contact your phone service carrier and ask how you can put a block on your phone to reject restricted numbers. Most services will give you a set of numbers you key into your phone to turn the blocking service on and off, while others have to turn it on and off for you. Once the block is in place, a caller will have to press a series of numbers on their phone to allow their call to go through to you. Once the caller presses that sequence of numbers, their phone number will show up on your caller ID.
Ask The Caller
Some people do not realize that their number shows up as restricted on caller ID. Sometimes, all you have to do to get a restricted phone number is ask the caller for their phone number.
There are many reasons why people and companies use unlisted, or restricted, phone numbers. If you are having problems with callers who use restricted phone numbers, then there are plenty of ways you can use to get that phone number and put an end to the harassment.
Your phone carrier might offer the feature of blocking these calls, but using an app is probably the best way to block them. These call blocking apps are typically only a few dollars a month and can save you the headache and annoyance of a constantly ringing phone.
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