How to Block a Restricted Number on Your Phone Easily

Nowadays, lots of people get unwanted calls from hidden numbers. Calls from telemarketers, scammers, or harassers are hard to stop. To deal with these, knowing how to block such calls is key.

Blocking restricted calls is important for your safety. Almost 70% of Americans get these calls weekly. Phone scams alone have cost nearly $640 million. Here’s how to block these calls on any phone.

Understanding Restricted Numbers

Getting a restricted call can make you feel puzzled and worried. Such calls are seen as both common and annoying by 85% of people. It’s key to grasp why these calls happen and their purpose. Let’s explore the topic of restricted numbers to make it clearer.

What Is a Restricted Call?

A restricted call hides the caller’s identity on your phone. It shows up as “Restricted” or “Unknown,” so you can’t call back. A report by Mary Meeker points out that such calls are often from robocalls, telemarketers, and bill collectors. The code *67 is used to make a call hidden.

Why People Use Restricted Numbers

There are several reasons behind hidden numbers. The main one is privacy. Lawyers, debt collectors, and people wanting safety use these calls. Robocalls and scammers also use them to stay hidden. This helps them avoid being traced. Around 70% of these calls might be scams, showing why being careful is important.

The Risks of Answering Restricted Calls

Answering a call from an unknown source can be risky. Scammers use these calls to get personal info. This can lead to identity theft or losing money. The National Center for Victims of Crime reports many have faced bullying via such calls. Police say to ignore these calls if they don’t leave a message.

More than 60% of people now use call blocking apps. This helps them control and stop restricted calls. Companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint give options to block these calls. Sometimes, there might be a fee for this service.

How to Block Restricted Numbers on iPhone

If you use an iPhone, you can handle calls from restricted numbers easily. You can use the call blocking feature or turn on the Do Not Disturb mode.

Using the Call Blocking Feature

To block calls on your iPhone, first, go to your Phone app’s call history. Here’s how you can do it step by step:

1. Click on the Recents tab in the Phone app.
2. Find the number you want to block. It might show as “Restricted.”
3. Press the i icon next to that number.
4. Go down and choose Block this Caller.

This lets you stop specific restricted numbers from calling your iOS device. If you do this for all unwanted callers, it will keep your call blocking effective. But remember, telemarketers often change numbers. So, its overall success might be limited.

Activating Do Not Disturb Mode

Using the Do Not Disturb feature is another great way to handle restricted calls. It lets only your contacts reach you. Here’s how to turn it on:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Choose Do Not Disturb.
3. Switch on Do Not Disturb mode.
4. In Allow Calls From, pick All Contacts.

This way, calls from unknown or restricted numbers go straight to voicemail. They won’t ring your phone. It’s useful because it blocks robocalls and other unwanted calls without disturbing you. Most times, these robocalls won’t even leave a voicemail.

Even though Apple doesn’t have a direct block for Unknown or Private calls, these features offer a good way to control your calls. They help cut down on disruptions you don’t want.

How to Block Restricted Numbers on Android

Dealing with unwanted restricted numbers on your Android phone can be easy. Your phone’s call history and settings offer features like Caller ID & Spam Protection to help you. Let’s look at how to use these to manage restricted calls.

Using Call History for Blocking

Blocking restricted calls through your call history is simple. Here’s what to do:

1. Open the Phone app on your Android device.
2. Go to the recent calls or call history tab.
3. Find the restricted call you wish to block.
4. Tap on the call details (marked by an ‘i’ or details icon).
5. Choose to block or report the number.

The steps might differ slightly by phone model and maker. Yet, the main process stays the same. This method lets you block such calls easily.

Enabling Caller ID & Spam Protection

Enabling Caller ID & Spam Protection is another great way to handle restricted calls. It helps block spam before it reaches you. Here’s how to turn it on:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Tap on the three-dot menu or the options menu.
3. Go to ‘Settings’ or ‘Call Settings.’
4. Turn on ‘Caller ID & Spam Protection.’

This action will help filter out spam calls. It’s very helpful if you get many spam or robo-calls. It brings you more calm and fewer disruptions.

Using these strong features on your Android phone, you can better manage your calls. This will reduce the annoyance of unwanted restricted calls.

Can You Block a Restricted Number?

Blocking a restricted number can be hard because those calls often skip past usual blocking ways. Still, you have several options to block or manage these annoying calls.

Using Third-Party Apps

Utilizing third-party blocking apps is a good way to stop restricted numbers. Apps like Hiya Caller ID and Block are favorites for spotting and stopping unwanted calls. KidsGuard Pro for Android and iOS also helps in blocking these calls on both phone types. Around 15% of users find these apps helpful and effective.

Carrier-Enabled Blocking Tools

Your phone company can also help block restricted calls. Companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint have tools to block these numbers. Many people think these providers should improve their services to block unknown calls better, similar to how landlines do. Talking to your provider can give you custom tools to meet your needs.

National Do Not Call Registry

The National Do Not Call Registry is good for reducing unwanted calls. By adding your number to the list, you can lower the chances of getting sales and marketing calls. This action also cuts down on other annoying calls, including restricted ones. About 20% of users see fewer unwanted calls after registering.

Conclusion

In our digital age, keeping safe from restricted calls is key to our privacy and security. Answering unknown calls can risk scams, phishing, and malware. Kids are especially at risk from scammers who can trick them for personal info.

It’s important to block restricted numbers to stop annoying calls and safeguard our info. iPhone users have “Silence Unknown Callers” to filter out unknown calls. Android users have the “Caller ID & Spam Protection” for similar protection. Apps like TrapCall and Truecaller also help by identifying and stopping these calls.

By taking these steps, we make our communication safer. Choose from phone features, carrier tools, or the National Do Not Call Registry to stay in control. In short, managing restricted calls well protects against scams and improves our phone use.