Verizon Wireless customers may occasionally receive a phone call in which the caller ID display displays "Restricted" instead of the actual phone number. Restricting a phone call is a common practice by some businesses as well as certain individuals. It can also be practiced by Verizon Wireless customers who wish for their outgoing calls to remain anonymous.
Incoming Call Restriction
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When your Verizon phone rings and your caller ID display says the call is "restricted," it simply means that the caller wished to remain anonymous and blocked his phone number from being displayed on your caller ID display. In some cases, the calling party's cellphone or land line may be programmed to remain anonymous on every call. Bill collectors often restrict, or block, their phone numbers from being displayed in the caller ID displays of debtors to prevent the debtor from blocking calls that are coming from a specific phone number.
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If you have concerns about a restricted call that you received, you may feel more comfortable letting the call go to voicemail or an answering machine. This way, if the caller leaves a message, he will likely identify himself and you can call him back.
Outgoing Call Restriction
If you would like to restrict your outgoing caller ID so that you will remain anonymous when making calls, you can do so by entering a simple code before you make your call. Simply enter 67 before you enter the phone number you wish to call, area code first. It should look like this: 67 555 555 5555.
Caller ID blocking, or call restriction, is a free service offered by Verizon. It does not cost any money to use the caller ID blocking code when you make a call. If you wish to have your phone number permanently restricted, call Verizon Customer Service at 800-922-0204, or dial 611 from your Verizon Wireless phone.
Problems With Call Restriction
While restricted calls do help callers to remain anonymous if they choose, restricted callers may be less likely to have their calls answered by recipients. There are people who choose not to answer restricted calls because they are uncomfortable not knowing who is on the line. If you choose to restrict your number permanently, it is wise to notify your close friends and family members that you will being doing so so that they are more likely to pick up the phone when you call them.
Blocking Restricted Calls
At the time of publication, Verizon Wireless does not offer blocking for incoming restricted calls.