Blocking phone numbers is easy thanks to improved technology. The National Do Not Call Registry can stop telemarketing calls, and private individuals can be blocked with call screening or blocking services. Mobile phones can use caller ID, and numbers can be hidden by dialing *67. Selective blocking is possible with *60, but may come with a fee.
There are a number of reasons why a person might want to block a phone number for incoming or outgoing calls. Fortunately, there are a number of methods that make blocking a phone number a quick and easy process. Thanks to improved technology, all that is usually required to block a phone number is to press a few numbers on the keypad, call your phone service provider, or visit a convenient website.
The type of calls people most want to block come from telemarketers, who in years past were notorious for calling at the most inconvenient times possible. Thanks to the National Do Not Call Registry (NDNCR), which is administered by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), almost all telemarketing calls can be terminated permanently. Phone numbers to be blocked from telemarketing harassment can be registered for free on the NDNCR website or by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the number you wish to block.
Also, contrary to urban legend, cell phone numbers can also be registered with the NDNCR. After signing up, nuisance phone calls should end within 31 days. Some may slip through from time to time, but the FTC doesn’t look kindly on companies that abuse the NDNCR.
You can easily block calls from private individuals. For landline phones, devices known as incoming call blockers allow you to accept calls only from specifically accepted people. Also, usually for a small fee, telephone companies will provide call screening or call blocking services. All that remains is to provide the telephone company with the number to block. If the blocked caller tries to ring, they will hear a busy signal or be directed to a recorded message that calls are not being accepted from their number.
Unfortunately, blocking an unwanted call from a mobile phone is more difficult. In most cases, the best approach is to simply use a caller ID service and not accept messages from those you don’t want to talk to. While this is not the best solution, it may be the best available right now.
You may want to prevent your phone number from being shown to others. To do this, on a landline or mobile phone, dial * (asterisk) 67 before dialing a number. The result will be that the Caller ID device of the number you are calling will show you as “Unknown Number” or “Private Number”.
Also, you can block a phone number by entering the number * (asterisk) 60 and typing the number you want to delete. By entering this code you can selectively block a phone number and the caller will be rejected. Again, most phone companies will charge a fee for this service, but it’s nominal and often worth it
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