To hide your number for one call, dial *67 before the phone number — the recipient sees "Private," "Blocked," or similar. For permanent hiding, toggle "Show My Caller ID" off in phone settings, or request line-level blocking from your carrier. Blocking always fails for emergency services, and toll-free/800 numbers can unmask blocked callers.
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- Per-call *67: dial *67 + number. Works from virtually every U.S. line, costs nothing, forgets nothing (repeat each time).
- Device setting: Phone app → Settings → Show My Caller ID / Additional Settings → toggle off. All outbound calls hide until reversed.
- Carrier line feature: permanent network-side blocking survives SIM swaps and resets; ask support to enable "line blocking."
Texting anonymity differs: standard SMS always exposes your number; internet-messaging apps provide masked alternatives instead.
Where Your Number Still Shows
- 911: dispatch always receives location/name data — by design.
- Toll-free businesses: many operate ANI equipment revealing the true billing number despite blocking.
- Legal process: courts/subpoenas obtain records regardless of display settings.
- Business lines: some employers force outbound ID for compliance.
Ethics/legal note: blocking is legal for privacy; using it to harass, threaten, or defraud is not — and obscenity/harassment statutes apply to anonymous calls explicitly.
Receiving Side: Rejecting Blocked Callers
Annoyed BY anonymous calls? Dial *77 to activate Anonymous Call Rejection — blocked callers hear a refusal message; deactivates with *87 on supporting networks. Modern phones also silence unknown/private numbers natively in call settings, achieving similar peace without codes.
Situational Privacy Beyond *67
Job seekers calling from current employers' phones, journalists contacting sources, and anyone coordinating surprises benefit from structured number hygiene beyond per-call codes: secondary eSIM lines dedicated to outbound-sensitive calling keep primary identities fully separated; virtual-number services provide disposable inbound-capable alternatives; and business lines can request carrier-side ID management for consistent professional presentation.
Ethical guardrails stay constant across methods: anonymity protects safety and negotiation leverage, never deception for harm. Recording laws apply independently of caller-ID status — hidden numbers don't hide consent obligations. And remember reciprocity: anonymous-call rejection services mean your masked calls may simply not connect — knowing when blocking helps versus sabotages is part of the skill.