Can you block a private caller who won't leave a message?

[jane7166]

All these phone number topics has made me wonder about people who block their number from caller ID.

I don't particularly think it's rude to use this feature but we have a relative who has called 2 or 3 times a day for the past month or so and won't leave a message!  I do think that is rude.  We think it's him because he has always comes up on caller ID as Private Caller when we accidentally answer the phone without checking, something that last happened in October and at least it was DH who picked up, not me.  I don't know who else would be doing this day after day.

Anyhow, we don't pick up if the screen shows Private Caller because he's a boor who just goes on and on about how wonderful his kid is and the latest write-up in the paper about the kid.  The kid is pretty smart and the kid is very nice but relative is one of those people who will drone on and on, has strong opinions about everything and will try to change your mind if you don't agree with his opinions.  Who needs it?

He invited himself and his family over last year and didn't stop talking the whole 5 hours they were here.  He has been insisting that we come and visit them in city 3 hours away.   

I wish we could block his number.  One of these days we are accidentally going to pick up and have to deal with him. 

[Twik]

Private Caller is more likely to be telemarketers, I'd assume.

[KitKat]

Oddly enough, my display usually gives a number/company name for telemarketers.  OTOH, I know it is MIL/FIL when it comes up private.*


Of course their number is displayed with the phrase private caller.

[emcee]

You can pay a fee to reject all blocked number calls.  Then people who don't publish their caller ID have to dial *82 before calling you to unblock their number.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_call_rejection

ETA: the wiki says that it's probably free for landlines, but I would call your phone company anyway just to make sure.

[Hushabye]

I was just getting ready to say that I didn't think you could block "anonymous" or "private" or "blocked" callers, but apparently you can.  That's cool.

Do keep in mind, though, should you choose to do something like that, that more than calls from more than one government entity show up as "blocked" or "anonymous", and blocking all calls would block those as well, should you have a reason to be in contact with them (if you know about it now).  In this situation, I would consider it a fair trade-off.

[Evil Duckie]

I think the only way to block on private number call is to block all.

I know that we have 2 relatives as well as telemarketers that come up private number. We have told the relatives that if they want to us answer then they need to leave a short message and we will pick up or call them back when can. Only one relative will not leave a message and we have told him that since he doesn't think he needs to leave a message that is his problem not ours.

[shylar]

I think ettiquete wise, you can block whoever you want for whatever reason. Your telephone is for your convenience, not other people's. It isn't the same as ignoring someone in public, and for me it isn't quite like not answering correspondence either. It isn't rude not to have a telephone, after all.

Will the relative know they've been blocked? If it just rings and rings without them being able to get through to you or to leave a message, I think eventually he will give up. Or maybe start emailing!

[Miss March]

Oh great. Now I'm getting a banner ad that provides a fake a caller id and can disguise a voice!

[emcee]

Will the relative know they've been blocked? If it just rings and rings without them being able to get through to you or to leave a message, I think eventually he will give up. Or maybe start emailing!

Yes, the phone company plays a recording stating that the recipient does not receive blocked calls, and how to unblock so they can get through.

[Hushabye]

Do keep in mind, though, should you choose to do something like that, that more than calls from more than one government entity show up as "blocked" or "anonymous", and blocking all calls would block those as well, should you have a reason to be in contact with them (if you know about it now).  In this situation, I would consider it a fair trade-off.

When we had this feature, it was a screening more than a straight block, so if a person was calling from a private or hidden number they would get an automated recording requiring them to identify themselves, then our phone would ring and we'd have the option to accept or decline. If we declined it would go to our voicemail, so if it were a relative they'd think we weren't home We didn't have any problems with doctor's offices who usually were blocked because it just sounds like the start of a regular VM system.

That's cool!  I work for one of the places that often comes through as "Blocked" or "Anonymous" so I just wanted to throw that out there.  But if they all work like that or provide the instructions on how to get un-blocked, then it's all good.

[That Anime Chick]

I like my anonymous call rejection. When we switched over to U-Verse and got the voip, this was one of the features I was glad to see come along with it.

I don't answer calls that are blocked or have no name/no number listed. I've made it a point to put that on my voicemail on my cell phone too.

[Sophia]

I've had that for years, and my parents have too.   The only time it was a problem was when I was calling from my cell phone from ... Mexico or Taiwan. 

[jane7166]

DH says, if we block him, then maybe he will come out of hiding and then we really have to deal with him.  I say, at least we don't have to keep jumping up and checking the phone each time to see if it's obnoxious relative. 

Anyhow, I just called the phone company and I can't do it without expending extra $$.  Relative is a jerk and now a jerk that costs money. 

Hm, we have U-verse but we don't have the VOIP in our area because of political stuff.  Verizon has sewn up the county.  Nice. 

[iDuckie]

Remember that you really cant get this feature on a cell phone. I don't have a home phone anymore, so my cell is my home phone and I get weird random calls all the time that I just have to reject myself since I don't know the person calling.

[emcee]

Remember that you really cant get this feature on a cell phone. I don't have a home phone anymore, so my cell is my home phone and I get weird random calls all the time that I just have to reject myself since I don't know the person calling.

I have to disagree, being a recent convert to Google Voice (which lets you do this for landline or cellphone).  It's basically a very powerful answering/forwarding service that let's you decide on a per-caller basis, or even for blocked calls, whether to screen them, block them, or play a caller-specific greeting.  It's awesome!