If you are looking for guidelines explaining the blocking of a phone number on Verizon Wireless phones, this article is just what you need to read. By the time you are done with reading this article, you’ll know how to block certain phone numbers from calling or messaging you and how to block your caller ID from appearing on phone numbers which you call.
With a cell phone, you can be contacted anywhere, anytime and you can always stay in touch with friends and family. However, it has a downside, which is unwanted people getting hold of your number and stalking you through calls and text messaging. You can at least switch off your phone and avoid taking calls, but text messages always reach you, no matter what you do.
Many of my friends have been harassed and abused on the phone by unknown callers. Till a few years ago, the only way out was changing your number but now most wireless phone companies provide you with a facility to block certain numbers and stop them from calling and messaging.
The problem of being harassed through phone calls and text messages is a serious one and needed to be addressed by cell phone companies. While most took a lot of time to solve this issue, some of them like Verizon have come around and added privacy settings which let users block out unwanted phone numbers from calling or messaging them. They have also come up with a facility which lets you block your caller ID while making a call. Let us see how both settings are activated.
Blocking Phone Numbers on Verizon
Most of the wireless phone companies including Verizon and AT&T offer online accounts now where users can change their phone settings on their own. Even billing and accounting details are all available online. To block a phone number, you will need an Internet connection that provides you access to the Verizon Wireless website.
Once there, you must log in to your own Verizon account. In case you don’t have one, create one. After the registration is complete, log in to see your current settings. To block a phone number from calling or texting you, go to ‘My Verizon → My Services → Verizon Safeguards → Spam Controls‘. To block numbers go to ‘Call & Message Blocking‘. There you can enter up to 5 numbers which will be blocked for 90 days by default.
Enter the numbers correctly with area codes and save settings. None of those numbers will be able to connect a call with your number or send you a text message for 90 days, after which the block is removed. To continue blocking, you must enter the numbers again later. If you activate ‘Usage Controls’ by paying $4.99 per month, you can block up to 20 numbers permanently.
How to Block Caller ID While Using a Verizon Phone?
Verizon also offers the facility of caller ID blocking. You can prevent your phone number from appearing as caller ID on the phone number you call. You may either choose to temporarily block your caller ID for specific numbers while calling or choose to permanently block your caller ID.
To temporarily block your caller ID, press *67, then dial the number and press SEND. The receiver who takes the call will see ‘Anonymous’ or private being displayed on his phone. If you wish to permanently block your caller ID for all calls made to a number, press *82, followed by the number and press SEND.
If you wish to permanently block your caller ID from appearing on all phones, which you call, log in to ‘My Verizon’ and go to ‘My Plan→Add/change features‘. Tick the check box which says ‘Caller ID Blocking’ and save settings to apply the setting. After you make this change, you number will not appear in any caller ID phone.
So this was the simple procedure for blocking a phone number on a Verizon phone. All you need to do is log in to your Verizon account online and make changes in your existing settings. Remember that the blocking of a number from sending you text messages or calling, lasts only for 90 days by default and you need to block them again if you wish to continue avoiding the person. Verizon has provided its customers with the right of guarding their privacy through this facility. Go ahead and say ‘good riddance‘ to all those pesky callers who keep bugging you!