What is a Restricted Call and How to Block It?

Americans receive about 31 spam calls per month—both from landlines and mobile phones. 

Calls from those restricted, private, or unknown caller IDs may seem harmless at first. However, they can get annoying over time—or worse, dangerous. 

Read on to learn more about the different ways to block a restricted call. 

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Restricted calls are often used when a caller does not want to be tracked or called back.
• While restricted calls are usually harmless, they are also used by malicious individuals like scammers and stalkers.
• Blocking restricted calls is possible. Each method depends on your device or service provider.
• You can also track the person behind the frequent restricted calls using reverse phone lookup tools. 

5 Ways to Block Restricted Calls

A restricted call happens when someone who wants to contact you blocks their number from public viewing. 

They usually do this by requesting their service provider not to show their caller ID. Their calls reflect as “Unknown” or “Restricted” on the recipient’s end. 

The common question that people have is: “Are restricted calls safe to answer?” Well, it actually depends. 

Making a restricted call is not illegal. This is why some people abuse this feature. These people are:

• Scammers and spammers: They use restricted calls to make themselves untraceable, letting them contact more victims while being unknown. 
• Stalkers: They take advantage of restricted calls to contact their victims whenever they want—without being tracked. 
• Companies: Telemarketers use restricted calls to reach out to potential customers. Although their calls are harmless, they can still be annoying.

Fortunately, there is ongoing legislation against spam calls. 

Nearly 1/2 of all calls placed to cell phones this year will be scam calls. This week, I voted Yes to pass the #StopBadRobocalls Act. This comprehensive bill requires every call to be verified, allows the blocking of spam calls, & empowers the FCC to protect #VA07 from scammers.

— Rep. Abigail Spanberger (@RepSpanberger) July 26, 2019

However, since this regulation is still a work in progress, the best way to deal with restricted calls is by blocking them. 

You can block restricted calls on Android, iPhone, or landline using different approaches. Check out how you can do that below. 

Method 1: Block Restricted Calls on Android

Restricted calls are more frequent on mobile phones than on landlines. That is not surprising considering how easy it is to call anonymously using Android phones. 

However, it is also simple to block those calls on Android. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Open the “Phone” application. Find “Call logs.”
2. Look for the restricted call in your history and click it.
3. Click the “i” icon in the top-right corner. It can also appear as an “arrow” or “three dots” on some models.
4. Select “Block” or “Add to blacklist.” 

Once you’re done, your Android device will automatically stop the number from making another round of calls. 

Method 2: Stop Restricted Calls on iPhone

Apple is known for providing high-level security. It even lets users show or hide caller IDs for better privacy. 

However, if you’re the one on the other end of the call, you can follow the steps below to block them: 

Step 1: Find the “Phone” application from your menu.

Step 2: Go to Recents and find the “Restricted caller.” 

Step 3: Click the blue “i” icon on the right side to see the caller information. 

Step 4: Scroll down and click “Block this Caller.”  

Method 3: Block Restricted Calls on Landline

It is apparent that smartphones are taking over the world when it comes to communication. However, almost 30% of American households still use landline phones. 

Anyone can also receive restricted calls on their landlines—and blocking them is possible. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Dial the “*” (asterisk). Press “6” then “0.” It will contact the automated call blocker system. 

Step 2: The operator on the other end will tell you the next steps for blocking unwanted calls. 

Step 3: Follow their instructions and wait for their confirmation. 

Method 4: Use Third-Party Apps to Stop Restricted Calls

Smartphones are really convenient. Aside from their built-in apps, you can also download third-party applications that automatically block callers. 

1. On your phone, go to Play Store or App Store. 
2. Type “call blocker” in the search bar. 
3. Choose the best call blocker application from the search results and click Install. 
4. Once it’s installed, set it up and start blocking spam calls.

Method 5: Contact Network Providers 

If the methods above do not work, your last resort is to call your network provider. 

Reach out to your provider’s customer support team and ask them to deal with the restricted calls you’ve been getting. Explain your situation and tell them what you want to happen. 

How to Track the Person Behind the Restricted Calls?

Most cases usually stop once restricted calls are blocked. However, there may be severe instances when you need to track the caller. 

If that happens, below are some of the things that you can do:

1. Ask the caller directly.

The most basic thing to do is to ask the person behind the restricted call. If they have legitimate reasons for calling you anonymously, they will be willing to explain that to you. 

However, this is also not the best step to take all the time. People with malicious intent will only lie about their real reason and identities. 

2. Contact your service provider.

Your network provider can assist you in knowing these restricted calls. They can give you the information of restricted caller provided that you have a good reason. 

If you are experiencing life-threatening calls from them, they will immediately give them to you. 

3. Do a reverse phone lookup.

If you only plan to uncover the identity of the person making the restricted calls, you can use third-party services. 

TruthFinder is one of today’s leading reverse phone lookup tools. With millions of records in its database, it can help you find information about anyone with just a phone number. 

With TruthFinderm, you can access the person’s name, home address, social media profiles, and more with a single search. 

Final Thoughts

Restricted calls can be frustrating. While the methods above can effectively block those unwanted calls, they may not completely block every spam call. 

Users should still take precautionary steps to maintain their privacy by safeguarding their personal information, especially phone numbers.

FAQs

By Maxym Chekalov

With a master's degree in telecommunications and over 15 years of working experience in telecommunications, networking, and online security, he deeply understands cybersecurity's value and importance. Max leverages his vast experience and knowledge to research the latest cyber threats, scams, malware, and viruses in-depth.