It is illegal to make telemarketing calls with an anonymous caller ID. However, dishonest salespeople do this anyway and you end up being disturbed by those calls. Usually, at the worst time of the day, when you dine or relax at night.
There is a way to see the caller ID for anonymous callers. However, it will cost a little to do so. You need to temporarily use a toll-free number and forward your local line to it. These numbers can be obtained for just $ 2 a month without a contract.
How does it work?
The trick is based on the way that billing information is transmitted over the telephone network. When you use a toll-free number to receive calls, the phone company is required to show the caller ID, even if the caller is blocking you.
The law requires this because you are paying for the call. Therefore, you deserve to know the details of what you are paying, and that includes seeing who the caller is.
So, how does this help if unknown calls bother you by calling your local landline or cell phone? Here’s the trick. You need to forward your local or cell phone number to a toll-free number that you own. Toll-free numbers cost just $ 2 a month from service providers like Kall8.
Now, it is important to get this part right. You cannot allow your toll-free number to be forwarded to your local number if the local number is also forwarded to your toll-free number. You can see why. This creates an infinite loop that leads nowhere. Therefore, you need to set your toll free number to always go to voicemail.
You will need to call everyone who left a message for you, but at least you will be able to see the caller ID of all callers, including the one who is bothering you with anonymous calls.
How to view the caller ID
All service providers allow you to access a log of all calls, usually by logging into your account. These logs also show the duration of calls.
Once you are able to arrest the anonymous telemarketer and have his number, you can report it to the authorities and stop the free service. Assuming you don’t need this anymore for anything else.
If you used a toll-free number from Kall8, you can cancel the service at any time. They do not require a long-term contract. You pay only for the months you have active service.
An Alternative Method to View Caller ID
Instead of using voicemail for the reason, I mentioned above, if you have another local number to which you have access, forward your toll-free number to that number. By doing this, you will be able to answer incoming calls and see the caller ID immediately!
There is no need to check the log in this case. The caller ID is passed to the phone you are transferring to.
Sometimes it is worth spending a little to arrest someone who is bothering you. Your mind is what counts.