How to block your number when calling and why your privacy still isn't 100% guaranteed

You’re trying to reach someone, but you don’t necessarily want them to have your personal cell digits forever. Maybe it’s a Craigslist seller who seems a little too intense. Perhaps it’s a work-related call on your personal device. Whatever the reason, learning how to block your number when calling is a basic digital self-defense skill that almost everyone needs eventually.

It's actually pretty simple. But there's a catch.

People think that because they typed a few digits or toggled a switch in their iPhone settings, they've become a digital ghost. That is a mistake. While these methods stop the person on the other end from seeing your Caller ID, they don’t hide your identity from the phone company, the government, or 800-numbers that pay for special unmasking services.

💡 You might also like: Apple Store Danbury Connecticut: Why It Still Matters and What You Should Know

The classic *67 trick and why it still works

Remember the 90s? Back then, privacy felt a lot more manual. Surprisingly, the most reliable way to hide your identity is still the "Vertical Service Code" established decades ago.

To use it, you just open your keypad and dial *67 followed by the full phone number. If you’re calling your mom to test it, and her number is 555-0199, you’d dial *675550199. On her screen, it’ll show up as "Private," "Restricted," or "Unknown." It's free. It works on landlines. It works on almost every modern smartphone.

But it’s temporary. You have to do it every single time. Forget it once, and the recipient has your number logged in their recent calls forever. It’s a one-and-done solution for those moments when you’re making a one-off inquiry to a business and don't want to end up on their marketing list.

Digging into your phone settings for a permanent fix

If you’re the type who wants to stay anonymous by default, you shouldn't be messing with codes every time you hit dial. You can actually bake this into your phone's operating system.

For the iPhone crowd:
Go to your Settings. Scroll down until you see the Phone icon. Tap it. Look for "Show My Caller ID." If you toggle that switch to off, your number is suppressed for every outgoing call you make. It’s a bit of a "set it and forget it" move, though keep in mind that some people—including my own doctor—refuse to pick up calls from "Unknown" numbers because they assume it’s a telemarketer.

Android users have it a bit differently:
Because there are so many versions of Android (Samsung, Pixel, OnePlus), the menus look different. Generally, you open the Phone app, hit the three dots for "More" or "Settings," and look for "Supplementary Services" or "Calling Accounts." There’s usually a "Show my caller ID" option there. Set it to "Hide number."

Keep in mind that if you do this, you might find yourself leaving a lot of voicemails. Many people use "Silence Unknown Callers" features now. If your ID is blocked, your call might go straight to digital purgatory without the other person's phone even vibrating.

How to block your number when calling toll-free numbers (The big trap)

Here is something most "tech gurus" won't tell you. If you call an 800, 888, or 877 number, *67 does basically nothing. Toll-free numbers are paid for by the person receiving the call. Because they are paying for the minute, the FCC has long allowed them to see the caller's number via a system called Automatic Number Identification (ANI). They need it for billing and routing. Even if your Caller ID is "blocked," their internal system often captures your real digits anyway.

If you are calling a collection agency, a massive corporate customer service line, or a government entity using a toll-free line, assume they know who you are.

Burner apps and the "Secondary Number" strategy

Honestly, if you're serious about privacy, blocking your number is the weak way out. The "pro" move is using a secondary number entirely.

Apps like Burner or Hushed give you a legitimate secondary VoIP (Voice over IP) number. When you call someone through these apps, they see a real, working phone number—it’s just not your number. This is way better than calling from a "Private" number because people actually answer the phone.

Google Voice is another massive tool here. It’s free, it gives you a dedicated number, and you can set it to route calls to your real phone while keeping your private hardware number totally hidden. I’ve used a Google Voice number for every public-facing transaction for five years, and my real cell number has stayed remarkably spam-free as a result.

The "TrapCall" factor: Can they see you anyway?

You should know that people can pay to unmask you. Services like TrapCall exist specifically to strip away the "Private" or "Blocked" status of an incoming call. When a blocked call comes into a user with this service, they essentially "reject" the call to a third-party server that identifies the number and then rings it back to them with the data revealed.

It’s a bit of an arms race. You hide; they unmask.

When blocking your number is actually illegal

Don't use these features to harass people. It sounds obvious, but the legal line is thinner than you think. In the United States, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 makes it illegal to transmit misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the "intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value."

If you’re blocking your number to hide from a debt collector or to play a harmless prank on a friend, you’re usually fine. If you’re doing it to impersonate a government official or a bank representative to steal data, you’re looking at heavy fines and potential jail time.

Also, you cannot block your number when calling emergency services. If you dial 911, the dispatcher's system is designed to bypass any and all privacy blocks to locate you. That's a feature, not a bug.

Practical steps for your privacy audit

Don't just read this and move on. If you care about who has your data, do these three things right now:

1. Test your current setup. Call a friend or a second device using *67. See exactly what the screen says. Some carriers display "Out of Area" while others say "Private." You need to know which one your carrier defaults to.
2. Check your "Show My Caller ID" toggle. If you’re in a phase of life where you’re applying for jobs or dealing with medical stuff, keep it ON. If you're currently being pestered by salespeople, turn it OFF.
3. Get a secondary "disposable" number. Download Google Voice or a similar app. Use that number for every grocery store loyalty card, every "enter to win" sweepstakes, and every online marketplace.

Blocking your number is a temporary fix. Managing your digital footprint with a secondary number is a long-term strategy. Use the *67 code for the quick stuff, but don't rely on it as a shield against a determined searcher. Technology moves fast, and the "Private" tag is becoming a red flag to many people who simply won't pick up the phone. Be smart about when you hide and when you just use a different mask.