Every modern person who uses various gadgets must know how to prevent unknown numbers from calling a mobile phone. The thing is that nowadays, quite often you receive annoying SMS and calls, which only take up precious time, but do not carry any useful information. In this regard, many people think about simply blocking these types of calls. To do this, you can use the functions that are in the phone itself or download a special application.
What is a hidden number
Each subscriber can hide their number when calling. About 10 years ago, this functionality was provided absolutely free. Today it is presented in the form with a subscription fee. The service allows you to hide the caller's number using a special dial or by activating the corresponding function in the phone settings.
If the transfer of a number is prohibited, the subscriber receiving the call will see the text “Unknown”, “Unknown number”, “No subscriber ID”, “Anonymous call” or some other option on the display (it all depends on the manufacturer). And many people openly don’t like this - either criminals call, or some kind of dubious financial services, or an ex-boyfriend calls his girlfriend.
Luckily, there are ways to ban these unidentified numbers once and for all:
- Using the built-in blacklist.
- By installing additional software.
- Through various tricks on phones where there is no access to the blacklist.
As for mobile operators, there is no such functionality on their side.
The dangers of calls from unknown phones
Nowadays, the function of blocking calls from unknown numbers is becoming more and more popular, because... Every day the number of spam calls increases exponentially. Nowadays, more and more people complain that they are constantly receiving calls from strange people (and sometimes robots) from unfamiliar numbers, being distracted from their work, and very often also being woken up in the early hours of the weekend, which cannot but irritate .
In about half of the cases, when answering a call from an unfamiliar number, a person hears silence or the call is immediately dropped. If you hear silence or music when answering such a call, then most likely they are calling from some call center. They know that in half the cases people simply do not pick up the phone from an unfamiliar number or drop such incomprehensible calls. Therefore, spammers start dialing several numbers at once, so there may not be enough operators. This is how call centers of banks and telecom operators work, calling people to invite them to get a card or participate in some promotion.
By the way, don’t forget that outright scammers can also call from unfamiliar numbers “with music”. Nowadays, renting an IP telephony gateway is not particularly expensive. Therefore, scammers can even call from a local number to instill trust, and either offer a loan on super favorable terms, or persuade them to transfer a certain amount as an advance payment in order to buy a cool product at a crazy discount. Also, absolutely everyone has heard about this type of fraud called “investigator’s call”, when they say “your son caused an accident where a person died. If you want to resolve the issue, transfer money.”
For a modern, sensible person, it will not be difficult to distinguish a normal call from a “scam”. However, it is best to protect children or elderly family members who have personal mobile phones from such contact.
How to block unknown numbers on Android
Almost all smartphones with the Android operating system have a function that allows you to block calls from unknown numbers. There is no need to install additional software if the basic functionality is available - this is enough. If there is no blocking function, install the software - there is nowhere to go. Basic locking is available on Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, LG and smartphones of other brands. Therefore, our instructions will be universal.
To block incoming anonymous calls, you need to go to the call settings through the “dialer” (just click on the icon with a green tube). Here we need the item “Blocking numbers”, “Blocking calls”, “Antispam” or something similar in name. The latter option is found in Xiaomi smartphones with the proprietary MIUI 9 shell. Go to this menu, open the “Call Blocking” item and turn on the “Block calls from hidden numbers” switch. Done – now all calls without Caller ID will be rejected from the first second.
If there is no basic function, you can try installing another application that is responsible for managing calls. You can also enable a white list and receive calls only from those added to it.
Applications to block unwanted incoming calls
Truecaller
Truecaller is one of the best call blocking and anti-spam apps on Google Play Store. The program is installed on more than 100 million gadgets with the Android operating system. The functionality suits most users so much that they see no point in installing other software.
This software can replace the standard phone dialer. The application includes a large and regularly updated database of phone numbers involved in fraudulent schemes and sending spam. The user can see that he is receiving a call or SMS from a suspicious number, but can also completely block unwanted numbers and contacts. Great all-in-one app! Updated regularly and always works like a clock!
Call Control
Many of the apps in our rating have communication functions, but in this regard, Call Control is head and shoulders above competing software. Functionality comes first in Call Control. Intuitive interface, everything is thought out and convenient. And absolutely free! There are no complaints about the work.
Call Blocker
The simplicity of the name of this application matches the simplicity of its interface. There is nothing superfluous in Call Blocker functionality. The interface is simple and clear, it is easy to block calls and spam, thanks to the presence of built-in black and white lists. Scheduled work is also supported. For example, you can relax a little by temporarily turning off all incoming calls. Naturally, information about all incoming calls is saved.
Hiya
The Hiya app has one of the best databases compared to its competitors. If none of the programs described above suits you, Hiya will most likely suit you. The application is absolutely free. It has already been downloaded over 5 million times, which is saying something.
The user interface is well designed and has many useful functions. The program does a good job of blocking unwanted calls and SMS messages. You can also add text notes to specific numbers.
Call blocking (LithiumS)
According to the developers, this particular program assumes the fastest working algorithm for identifying unwanted numbers.
In the application settings, you can set a convenient way to respond to incoming outputs - rejecting a call completely without reacting to it, a silent call with the number displayed on the screen, as well as an option in which (with the support of the function by your cellular network) the caller can hear that the callee’s phone the subscriber is switched off or is out of network coverage.
The blacklist of unwanted subscribers in this program is convenient because everything is stored in one service and can be easily configured if necessary without any problems. You don't need to use inconvenient lists from mobile operators and USSD commands, which are often simply impossible to remember - a simple and intuitive application menu will allow you not to worry about unwanted calls reaching you. You can add a number to the blacklist from the address book of your smartphone or from the call log.
Call blocker: Blacklist and Who's calling
An excellent, simple and very functional service from the Grus Group company will be an excellent assistant for you if you decide to block a number from which you are receiving unnecessary intrusive calls.
The application provides the ability to see the real number of the caller, even if he has additional services installed in order to hide it. There is also an automatic and instant verification of the number from which the call is coming to protect you from fraudulent calls, various services offered over the phone, as well as from calls from numbers you have blacklisted in the application.
The log of blocked calls will allow you to view them at any time and, if necessary, quickly exclude or add the number to the blacklist. If you need to download a call blocker with convenient and ergonomic functionality, take a closer look at this service.
AntiCollector: Blacklist
The best call blocker from debt collectors in cases where you need to get rid of calls from banks and collection agencies, which often go beyond all possible limits in trying to get a debt paid.
The service’s list already contains more than 120,000 numbers, to which you can add a new number to the general database, which is automatically blocked within the application for all its users.
The application has several main functions - a blacklist, which allows you to add the phone number from which unwanted calls are received to the general list of unwanted contacts, a report with a list of phones from which calls were blocked by the application, as well as a regularly updated database of advice from professional lawyers on loans and their repayment.
Do not call me
The very name of this application suggests that by using it you can protect yourself from unwanted calls. The application has quite a rich functionality: blocking based on a database of numbers that are already in the application and are guaranteed to disturb your peace (spam calls, automatic calls of various kinds, calls from banks, collection agencies and microfinance organizations), a number of options for blocking calls to your discretion - from creating your own black list to choosing the option of calls only from subscribers from your address book.
Instructions for blocking an unknown number for Windows Phone
These devices are becoming increasingly rare, as they have not received much demand from the consumer audience. People prefer Android or iOS phones. However, you can still disable receiving calls from unknown numbers on handsets with Windows Phone. To do this, go to the call settings, where we need the “Spam filter” function. We activate it and click the “Advanced” button - here you need to move the “Block hidden numbers” switch. But it’s better to turn off notifications about blocked calls.
Problems and solutions
Caller ID from the operator does not work
This happens when:
- you have set up call forwarding;
- The SIM card is not in the “home region”;
- the user making the call uses the services of another provider.
If the problem is not related to these reasons, you should contact the company providing communication services.
Android apps don't work
At the initial setup stage of the program, you should provide access to call and SMS management. If this step was skipped or performed incorrectly, you can correct the situation through the device settings (the “Applications” tab à “Software name” à “Permissions”) or by simply reinstalling the utility.
A hidden number is not an obstacle to call blocking, which can be either free (all subscribers using Anti-Caller ID are banned) or require money, allowing you to ban calls from a specific person. We hope that our recommendations helped you, and you now know different methods of how to block a hidden number on Android, what applications are needed for this, and in general, why this option is needed on smartphones.
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How to find out if a blocked subscriber called?
A guaranteed opportunity to obtain information about all attempts to contact you is provided only by Emergency MTS, Megafon, Tele2:
- Tele2 *220#.
- MTS *442*61#.
Provided free of charge.
However, the Megafon operator did not provide access to the desired list via a USSD request. You can find out whether blocked calls have been made to you only by contacting your personal manager by calling the hotline 8-800-550-05-00.
If you have used your phone settings to restrict calls, your ability to access the information depends on your smartphone. SMS messages may either not be displayed at all or may be located in the Spam folder. If your device has it.
Incoming calls are listed as missed or an SMS notification “This subscriber tried to call you” is received, but some versions of Android do not provide access to such information at all.
Built-in Caller ID on iPhone
New models of the iOS mobile system have introduced a more useful feature than any similar application offers. Namely, a combination of applications that can identify numbers. We have already looked at one of them - NumBuster. We recommend adding 2GIS maps and other applications with maps: from Google and Yandex. Since this service links accounts of popular companies. Accordingly, they are forced to add a contact number to their profile.
- Then you need to open the settings, select “Phone” and “Call identification settings”.
- Check the box for applications that can detect your phone.
- When there is an incoming call, an attempt will be made to identify the caller using the first application in the list.
- Then the turn will go to the second one. And so on through the list until you find out who is trying to contact you.
If such settings are not available on your phone (Samsung Galaxy, bare Android)
If you have a Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel/Nexus, then you don't have this feature out of the box like Xiaomi or Huawei. Therefore you have two options:
- Use a third-party call manager. However, here you should remember that high-quality applications often come for a fee.
- Use the "do not disturb" mode built into Android. In this case, the phone will be able, if not to block (drop) such calls, then at least not to ring and not to distract you due to an incomprehensible call from an unfamiliar number.
Setting Do Not Disturb mode on Samsung Galaxy so that the phone only rings when a call comes from a contact in your phone book
- Turn on Do Not Disturb mode. To do this, just click on the corresponding tile in the curtain:
If suddenly it is not there, go to Settings > Sounds and vibration > Do not disturb and turn on the mode. - Now you need to configure it. To do this, either long-press on the tile in the curtain, or go to the mode settings, as described in the previous paragraph. Install:
- Calls from = Contacts only.
- Message from = Contacts only.
Antispam for Tele2 subscribers
The operator's service provides manual blocking of any number that sends spam messages. The service is activated free of charge and automatically when you add the first number. Both numeric and text caller names are accepted. Instructions:
- For a standard addition, you need to send an SMS with the subscriber number (starting with “8”) to 345.
- When adding a name (alias, for example TAXI), the procedure is similar, only the name is entered instead of a number.
- Cancellation is carried out by sending an SMS with the text: “0*number or name of the sender.”
- If you want to completely disable the service, you should send “00” to 345.
"SMS control" MegaFon
This operator provides the ability to block individual SMS messages. The service works as follows: when you receive an advertising message, you need to forward it to number 1911. You do not need to enter the sender’s number, it will be displayed in the system automatically.
MegaFon also offers subscribers the SMS control service. It allows you to unsubscribe from receiving mailings from alphabetic and symbolic numbers by adding them to the blacklist. Instructions:
- Dial *903#.
- The last 10 numbers from which SMS came will be displayed.
- Select the one you need and follow further recommendations.
Both of these services are provided free of charge.
Block calls from everyone except contacts on iPhone
And finally, about blocking calls on an iPhone. There is the same Do Not Disturb mode, but in iOS it just drops calls, and does not just mute the sound, as in a similar function in Android. Therefore, to block all incoming calls except contacts, you need to perform the following settings:
- Go to Settings .
- Select mode Do not disturb:
- Activate it using the switch at the very top.
- Now find the parameter just below Call Allowance and install From all contacts or From favorites. This will tell your iPhone which group of subscribers will dial. In our example, I chose that only people I added to my contacts should call me:
New method: Block calls from unknown numbers on iPhone in iOS 13 and iOS 14
iOS 13 introduces a feature to reject incoming calls from numbers that are not in your contacts. In the new OS, this feature exists in parallel with the “black list” and if you activate it, the iPhone will drop all calls from subscribers not included in the phone book in the same way.
The only difference from the “blocked contacts” function is that when you use muting of unfamiliar callers, you will receive notifications that the call has been blocked and it is not yet possible to turn off these notifications.
So if your iPhone supports the new iOS, then you should like this method, because... You no longer need to keep Do Not Disturb on all the time, which silences all notifications. By the way, iOS supports iPhone 6S and newer, including iPhone SE.
To block calls from unknown numbers on iPhone running iOS 13 or iOS 14, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings ;
- Scroll down to about the middle of the page;
- Select Phone .
- Activate Mute Unknown Callers :
We block calls from people who are not in our contacts.
I would like to believe that in the future this function will somehow be renamed into something more serious and less funny (I first read “stunning unknown callers”). 2021 update: renamed. The word “subscribers” was removed.
***
A few years ago this article could have ended here. But in our time this is not enough. Nowadays, messengers—messaging applications for iOS and Android—have become widespread.
Most of them have long ceased to be just text messengers. Now almost all such apps support both voice and video calls. Therefore, unwanted calls from unknown numbers are now also coming from instant messengers.
And if you need to pay at least some money for mobile communications, then with WhatsApp and Viber everything is different: connect to Wi-Fi somewhere and call wherever you want for free. Such calls are made not through traditional cellular communications, but over the Internet, using VoIP technology.
Should I use TrueCaller and GetContact to determine the owner names of unknown numbers?
I would like to briefly talk about the currently popular applications TrueCaller and GetContact. The latter has gained particular popularity in the CIS countries over the past few years. The essence of such services is that you can most likely find out the name (or nickname) of a person whose number is not stored in your phone.
I’ll say right away: it’s definitely not worth using these (and other similar applications that promise to identify the caller’s name) on your main smartphone. Why? Yes, because such applications, when installed, request access to your contacts and “merge” your entire phone book into their database for subsequent use by all users of the application.
The more people install the application, the larger the database of names and numbers. But the bad thing is that in this database people will be subscribed exactly as they were recorded in someone’s phone (most often, the first one who merged them into the database).
Therefore, installing TrueCaller or GetContact is simply unethical in relation to the people whose numbers are saved on your phone. Even if everyone there is signed solidly like “Vasily Anatolyevich children’s doctor”, “Evgeny neighbor in the garage”, perhaps these people do not want their names to be publicly available on the Internet.
If you really want to use the Trucaller or GetContact database in order to find out who called you from an unfamiliar number, install these applications on your old smartphone, having first deleted all contacts from there (I recommend registering a separate Google account specifically for this purpose, where there are no information).
Thus, when you give access to the phone book when installing the application (otherwise they will not work), there will be nothing to leak and your karma will not suffer. After this, you will be able to “punch” unfamiliar numbers in this smartphone to understand who called you.
