How to Figure Out Who Called From a Blocked Number
By Maya Austen
Unfortunately there's no easy, clear-cut way to figure out the origins of a blocked caller ID phone number. This is not to say that the task is impossible, just that it's complicated. The means of obtaining this information can only be pursued if the call received from the blocked number is severely harassing in nature, because legal authorities are involved in tracking down the unknown caller. If the calls being received from a blocked number do not rise to the level of unlawful harassment, there are other safeguards you can put in place to make sure that only unblocked calls get through to your phone.
Set Up a "Call Trace"
Contact your phone company. The telephone company's customer service number is listed on your phone bill.
Tell the telephone customer service representative that you would like to set up call trace service on your telephone account. This service may have already been automatically activated for your account, but call to be certain.
Dial *57 (from a touch-tone phone) or 1157 (from a rotary-dial phone) immediately following the blocked call number you want to trace. The number will be recorded by the telephone company's unlawful call center.
Contact your local police station to file a harassment complaint. The police should provide you with a case number for your complaint.
Contact your telephone company's unlawful call center. Provide the call center representative with your account information and complaint file case number. The telephone company is not allowed to turn over the blocked call number to you, but will give the number to law enforcement. In the course of following up on your filed complaint, the police will likely reveal the blocked call number to you.
Set Up an "Anonymous Call Rejection" Service
Pick up the telephone receiver and place the phone in call mode.
Listen for a dial tone.
Press *77 (if dialing from a touch-tone phone) or dial 1177 (if dialing from a rotary-dial phone).
Place the phone back to your ear. Listen for a confirmation tone.
Hang up the phone. Your phone is now set up to block all calls where the caller's caller ID information is not transmitted.
Set Up a "Call Screen"
Contact your phone company. The telephone company's customer service number is listed on your phone bill.
Ask the telephone customer service representative if "call screen" service is available in your area. (The call screen feature is not available in all areas.) It the call screen feature is available, add it to your phone service.
Pick up the telephone receiver and place the phone in call mode (if applicable). Listen for a dial tone.
Dial *60 (from a touch-tone phone) or 1160 (from a rotary-dial phone). Follow the prompts to activate call screen service. This service gives you ability to add phone numbers to your blocked call list even if the caller calls from a private number.
References
Writer Bio
Maya Austen began freelance writing in 2009. She has written for many online publications on a wide variety of topics ranging from physical fitness to amateur astronomy. She's also an author and e-book publisher. Austen has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the New England Institute of Art and currently lives in Boston, Mass.