We use our phones to talk to people, connect with others, and access important services but getting unwanted calls can be really annoying for anyone worldwide these days. In 2022, there were a lot of robocalls in the United States around 48 billion (source: YouMail) where many of these calls didn’t show who was calling and thus it gets you in a dilemma if you want to answer the phone or not.
Let’s understand more.
What No Caller ID means?
No Caller ID means someone is calling you without showing their phone number where basically they want to hide their identity.
- Privacy: The person calling may not want you to see their number because of personal reasons or their job.
- Sales: Telemarketers and some charities sometimes don’t show their phone numbers when they call so people don’t ignore the calls or make the calls look more important.
- Scams: Bad people often use secret numbers to not get caught and to make their calls seem more honest.
How No Caller ID works?
How No Caller ID works?
No Caller ID is when the person (who is calling you at that given point in time) doesn’t wish for their phone number to be displayed on your phone screen and this usually happens before the phone call starts.
- Caller Activation: The person calling decides to hide their phone number. This option is often available in the telephone menu or its settings, or through a code which may change with the phone company.
- Network Signal: According to when a person dials a call, his/ her phone number and the number he/she is calling transmit a message on the network.
- No Caller ID Activated: If a caller chooses no caller ID mode, instead of dialing the actual phone number, the callers’ phones send a code to the network.
- Network Filtering: When a caller elects to block their number, the network system that a phone call is placed with cancels the number from the call signal.
- Receiving the Call: On the rare occasions it rings, it may display No Caller ID or Unknown Caller as the caller’s number.
Some Cautious Steps to Follow
- Don’t Answer: If you have no idea then it is very unadvisable to answer the call and let it ring through to the end. Always keep in mind that an honest caller will often leave a message.
- Let the phone keep ringing: If you’re not sure but interested, you can let the phone ring and see if they leave a message.
- Screen the Call: You can check who is calling before answering the phone with this feature.
- Stop the Calls: If you keep getting calls from a number that doesn’t reveal their identity, you can stop them on your phone by blocking it.
Need of No Caller ID App
Apps that show No Caller ID can’t uncover the hidden number when the call comes in. However, they can be useful in finding out who is calling from an unknown number and maybe stop calls from numbers that don’t show up on caller ID in the future.
- Finding Database: These apps use big collections of phone numbers from people to help you find the information you need. Any time you receive a phone call and you are wondering who is calling you, the application searches for the phone number and displays the details in case it may be a company that has called or the name of the person that is calling.
- Community Reporting: There are many apps that let people tell about spam calls and strange numbers. This information helps the app recognize future calls with no caller ID as possible spam.
- Call-blocking: These apps can stop spam calls and also block numbers that don’t show up on caller ID.
Popular No Caller ID Apps
Popular No Caller ID Apps
Truecaller
- Has a lot of people using it, which means there are a lot of phone numbers in the database.
- Provides information about who is calling, and identifies and blocks unwanted calls.
- Truecaller Assistant can use AI to check calls and ask questions of you in some places.
- It’s free of charge and if you want to get rid of advertisements and for additional features, you can purchase a pro version of the application.
Showcaller
- Puts emphasis on making it easy for the user and quickly showing who is calling.
- Detects and stops spam messages.
- It says it can work even without the internet (with some things not working).
- The basic version is a free one but they do allow the downloading of the ad-free for a premium fee as well as undertake more options.
Whoscall
- Especially good in East and Southeast Asia with a large collection of information from that area.
- Showing who is calling helps to identify spam calls and can stop those calls from coming in.
- Comes with Green Badges for confirmed calls and an SMS Scanner to spot unsure text messages.
- The basic version is completely free but you can pay an extra amount to get rid of unwanted ads and also can access more features.
TrapCall
TrapCall has a feature that no other service has.
- Stands out because it can show hidden numbers.
- When a phone call comes in without a caller’s number, TrapCall answers it with a recorded message.
- At times, TrapCall’s voicemail shows the hidden number when a robocaller leaves a message.
- This app has caller ID and can detect spam calls and block them, just like other apps.
- You need to pay to use all the features.
Don’t forget:
- The No Caller ID app’s success depends on how many people use it and how often it updates its database.
- Pick a reliable app that has a history of success.
- Think about the differences between something that is free and something that has a cost. Higher quality choices that fit what you want.
How to Find a No Caller ID Number on iPhone?
How to Find a No Caller ID Number on iPhone?
Sorry, but you can’t find out who is calling from a No Caller ID number on your iPhone.
Use Carrier Services (Limited).
Some phone companies provide a service called Call Trace or Caller ID Delivery that can show the hidden number for an extra cost. Get in touch with your phone company to find out if they have this and ask about how much it costs.
Dial *69 (Limited and Carrier Specific).
This code can find the number of the last missed call on some phones, including some iPhones, even if the call did not show a caller ID. But, it’s not guaranteed to work every time.
- Not all phone companies can use it.
- It might only work for a short time after the call.
Report the Call (Suspicious)
If you think someone is trying to trick you or bother you, tell the Federal Trade Commission or the police. You can report it online at (https://reportfraud.ftcgov/).
Identify Unknown Callers
- Although these apps can’t show hidden numbers right away, they can help you figure out who might be calling in the future.
- Big lists of phone numbers that have been reported as spam can be recognized when a call comes in with no caller ID and is similar to those reported numbers.
- Community reporting can help gather a list of unknown phone numbers that seem suspicious.
How to Find a No Caller ID Number on Android?
How to Find a No Caller ID Number on Android?
No Caller ID on your Android means the person calling you has tried to hide their phone number.
Limited Ways to Potentially Reveal the Number:
Dial *57: You can dial *57 on certain Android phones to stop a harassing call, depending on your phone carrier. This is not as common as dialing *69 to stop a call. This tells your phone company about the call and can give details about the phone number. But it may not show you the number right away.
Carrier Services (Limited): Certain phone companies offer services that you have to pay for, such as Call Trace or Caller ID Delivery. These services can possibly show the phone number of someone who is hiding it, thus you should get in touch with your phone company to find out if they have these services and simultaneously ask about any extra charges.
How to block No Caller ID calls on iPhone?
How to block No Caller ID calls on iPhone?
iPhones can’t block calls from No Caller ID because the number is unknown (hidden). However, there is a function called Silence Unknown Callers that can be useful.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap the Phone icon.
- Turn on Silence Unknown Callers in your phone settings by finding and switching it to the ON position (it usually turns green).
When this feature is turned on:
- And for calls which we do not recognize, we will not pick it up instead it will go to voice mail.
- You will, however, receive a notification message that a call was made by the person whose call you missed within the recent calls section.
How to block No Caller ID calls on Android?
How to block No Caller ID calls on Android?
It’s not possible to block calls from numbers that are hidden on Android. However, there are ways to reduce them and handle calls you don’t want.
Block Unknown Numbers
Stop calls from numbers you don’t know on Android phones that use the Google Phone app. This does not include anything, Caller ID shows who is calling.
- Open the Phone app.
- Click on the More icon, which is usually three dots, in the top right corner.
- Go to the Settings.
- Look for numbers that are Blocked and tap on them.
- Turn on the option to either accept calls from unknown numbers, or block calls from unknown numbers.
Block After the Call
If you get a call from someone with a hidden number, you can block that number later.
- Launch the Phone app.
- Go to the Recent section.
- Look for the call with no caller ID and click on the information icon (i) next to the number.
- Find a choice called Block number or Add to block list and tap on it.
How to call someone with No Caller ID?
How to call someone with No Caller ID?
There are a few ways to contact someone when your caller ID is hidden, but it’s important to know the possible problems and dangers.
Using Your Phone Settings:
Unfortunately, it’s hard to hide your Caller ID on most smartphones for all calls. Your carrier might limit this feature.
Carrier Services:
Some phone companies can hide your number when you make a call. These services usually cost money and you may need to call your phone company to turn them on.
Third-Party Apps
Some apps say they can hide the caller’s ID. But be careful when dealing with these.
- Legality: Using apps to hide your caller ID may be against the law in certain areas. Make sure it’s okay with the rules in your area before using these apps.
- Safety: These apps may need to see important information on your phone. Make sure you believe in the person who made the app and know what they do with your information before you use it.
Alternatives:
- Landline Calls: If all of you have a fixed-line telephone at home, then your service provider may allow you to block your number each time you make a call. However, a smaller population is actually owning and using a landline phone for their communication needs even nowadays.
- Burner Phones: Burner phones are not a good idea because they are temporary phones that you can throw away and they come with a SIM card that you pay for in advance. Be careful because burner phones are linked to illegal activities and are usually not a good idea.
Important things to think about:
- It might make the recipient of the call feel uncomfortable, possibly scared, or stressed if they never requested the call through the line that has NO Caller ID.
- There is also the aspect of privacy which must always be kept in mind and maintained at all times. You should consider whether the need exists for not showing your phone number to someone and whether there is a more appropriate approach to convey a message.
To Sum Up:
It’s time to sum up where using No Caller ID can keep your calls private, but it might make people doubt who is calling them. Be careful with calls from unknown numbers. So, if you are thinking of hiding your number, it’s good to be aware of the possible issues and ethical questions associated with using carrier services (which may be paid) or third-party applications (that are often illegitimate and unsafe). Please remember that we should be concise while speaking on the phone and avoid intruding into the personal lives of others.
That’s it for now. 🤟
Thanks for reading.
