How to Stop a Prank Caller
Contact the police., Contact your phone company., Screen your calls., Use a phone company service to find out who is calling., Block the prank calls.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Contact the police.
If the call is obscene or threatening it may violate local or state laws.
Contact your local police department to make a report, especially if the call is threatening and not just annoying., Many phone companies have whole offices devoted to unwanted or annoying calls.
Check with your phone company to find out what services they offer to help you manage prank calls.
AT&T has an Annoyance Call page with information and policies.
Verizon has an Unlawful Call Center page with information about both unlawful and unwanted calls. , To avoid talking to a prank caller screen your calls using an answering machine, voicemail, or Caller ID. , Phone companies offer a variety of services that can help you figure out who is making a prank call.
The availability and cost of these services vary by company.
A "trap" is a service that enables the phone company to determine the number of a prank caller if they call repeatedly.
Once a trap is set up you record the times and dates of calls so that the phone company can use them to find the caller's number.A trace can help you find the number of the last caller to your landline phone.
Dial *57 (1157 for rotary/pulse phones) right after you receive a prank call and follow the instructions in the recorded message from your phone company.Caller ID is a service you can set up in advance to see who is calling you as soon as the phone begins to ring.
Check with your phone company to see what equipment and costs are required to use Caller ID.
Anonymous Call Rejection or Privacy Manager are services that can help you find out blocked numbers or prevent them from calling.
These services require callers who have blocked their number from Caller ID to reveal their phone number in order to complete a call to your line.
If the caller's number normally appears as "anonymous," "private," "out of area," or "unavailable," the service requires the caller to state their name before allowing the call to ring your phone line., Once you know the number of your prank caller use a phone company service to prevent them from calling you again.
Call block (*60), also called Call Screen, is a service that let's you block some numbers from calling your phone line.
Use the service by dialing *60 or contact your phone company to set it up. -
Step 2: Contact your phone company.
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Step 3: Screen your calls.
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Step 4: Use a phone company service to find out who is calling.
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Step 5: Block the prank calls.
Detailed Guide
If the call is obscene or threatening it may violate local or state laws.
Contact your local police department to make a report, especially if the call is threatening and not just annoying., Many phone companies have whole offices devoted to unwanted or annoying calls.
Check with your phone company to find out what services they offer to help you manage prank calls.
AT&T has an Annoyance Call page with information and policies.
Verizon has an Unlawful Call Center page with information about both unlawful and unwanted calls. , To avoid talking to a prank caller screen your calls using an answering machine, voicemail, or Caller ID. , Phone companies offer a variety of services that can help you figure out who is making a prank call.
The availability and cost of these services vary by company.
A "trap" is a service that enables the phone company to determine the number of a prank caller if they call repeatedly.
Once a trap is set up you record the times and dates of calls so that the phone company can use them to find the caller's number.A trace can help you find the number of the last caller to your landline phone.
Dial *57 (1157 for rotary/pulse phones) right after you receive a prank call and follow the instructions in the recorded message from your phone company.Caller ID is a service you can set up in advance to see who is calling you as soon as the phone begins to ring.
Check with your phone company to see what equipment and costs are required to use Caller ID.
Anonymous Call Rejection or Privacy Manager are services that can help you find out blocked numbers or prevent them from calling.
These services require callers who have blocked their number from Caller ID to reveal their phone number in order to complete a call to your line.
If the caller's number normally appears as "anonymous," "private," "out of area," or "unavailable," the service requires the caller to state their name before allowing the call to ring your phone line., Once you know the number of your prank caller use a phone company service to prevent them from calling you again.
Call block (*60), also called Call Screen, is a service that let's you block some numbers from calling your phone line.
Use the service by dialing *60 or contact your phone company to set it up.
About the Author
Gerald Anderson
A seasoned expert in technology and innovation, Gerald Anderson combines 16 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Gerald's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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