Tip: Anonymous call rejection
Anonymous call rejection lets you block incoming calls from people who have chosen to block the delivery of their Caller ID information. In most areas, it’s included with Caller ID service.
To activate anonymous call rejection on your landline phone, dial *77. You will hear either three short tones, or a recording stating that calls from people who block their Caller ID information will be blocked.
When someone blocks their caller ID information and calls you, they will hear a recording advising them that you do not accept calls from blocked numbers, and instructing them on how to unblock their number. Your phone will not ring.
To disable anonymous call rejection on your landline phone, dial *87. You will hear either three short tones, or a recording stating that calls from people who block their Caller ID information will be allowed through.
Anonymous call rejection is included free with Caller ID in most areas. It is also available separately from Caller ID, usually for a monthly charge, which varies by area. Anonymous call rejection is not available to some customers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. If you are in one of these areas and can’t get anonymous call rejection, ask your local telephone company about their “privacy manager” feature.
A very few customers in New York and New England will need to use the codes 77# and 87# instead. To the best of my knowledge, very few such areas should be left, as they should mostly all be converted to the standard codes by now. If you are in one of these areas, please contact me.
Anonymous call rejection blocks only calls from people who choose to block their Caller ID information. It does not block “unknown” or “out of area” calls. These calls come from people who did not block their Caller ID, but for whom the telephone network failed to transmit the Caller ID information. They can also be international calls. Those calls should rarely or never be telemarketers, as they are required to send Caller ID information.
Anonymous call rejection may or may not be available with your wireless service. In some cases, you will use the same codes as for landline phones (press SEND/TALK afterward) and in others, the feature will be a menu item on your phone. Check with your wireless carrier for information and instructions.
