Introduction
"Restricted," "Private," "Blocked" or "Unknown" on caller ID all mean the same thing: the caller's number has been deliberately hidden. It's a standard, legal telephony feature, not evidence of a scam, and it's built into every major carrier.
This guide covers what a restricted call actually is, how to block or unblock your own caller ID, where blocking doesn't work, and how to screen unknown callers on iPhone and Android.
- A restricted call means the caller blocked their own number. The FCC states this is legal and is not spoofing.
- Dial *67 before a number to block your caller ID for that one call, on Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.
- *67 and permanent blocking don't work for toll-free numbers or 911 calls.
- iPhone's current screening feature is called Screen Unknown Callers, not Silence Unknown Callers, which is a separate FaceTime-only setting.
- The FCC's STIR/SHAKEN framework targets illegal caller ID spoofing, not the legal act of blocking your own number.
What a Restricted Call Means
The FCC is direct about this: "You can legally block the transmission of your phone number when you make calls, so your number will appear as 'unknown.' Doing so is not spoofing." The formal name for this is calling line identification restriction, or CLIR. A restricted call is simply one where the caller, or their carrier or business phone system, has this switched on.
That's a real distinction worth keeping straight: blocking your own number is legal and built into every carrier. Spoofing, which the FCC treats as a separate, sometimes illegal act, means displaying a different number that isn't actually yours.
How to Block Your Own Caller ID
All three major US carriers confirm the same per-call code. Dial *67, then the 10-digit number, then call. Verizon describes what the other person sees: "the words 'Private,' 'Anonymous,' or some other indicator will appear on the recipient's phone."
If you have caller ID permanently blocked on your line, Verizon confirms *82 unblocks it for one call, so that specific call shows your real number. AT&T's and T-Mobile's own wireless pages don't mention *82, so if you're not on Verizon, check your own carrier's instructions rather than assuming it works the same way.
Where Caller ID Blocking Doesn't Work
Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile all confirm the same limits: *67 and permanent blocking don't apply to toll-free numbers or 911 calls. Verizon puts it plainly: "Calls to 800 numbers and 911 won't use Caller ID Blocking." If you're calling a toll-free business line or emergency services, your number goes through regardless of your blocking settings.
Screening Restricted and Unknown Callers
On an iPhone, the current feature is called Screen Unknown Callers, found under Settings, Apps, Phone (the exact path has shifted across iOS versions). It offers three options: Never, Ask Reason for Calling, or Silence, which sends unknown calls straight to voicemail. FaceTime has its own separate Silence Unknown Callers toggle, which is a different setting from the Phone app's screening feature.
Android doesn't have one single, unified screening feature the way iPhone does. The Google Phone app offers a "Filter spam calls" toggle under its Caller ID & spam settings, and Pixel phones separately offer Call Screen, which automatically screens unknown or suspicious calls and can show a silent "Screening unknown number" notification. Which options you see depends on your phone's maker and Android version.
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How Carriers Fight Illegally Spoofed Calls
The FCC's STIR/SHAKEN framework is a set of technical standards that authenticate and verify caller ID information for calls carried over IP networks, specifically to combat illegal caller ID spoofing. The FCC required voice providers to implement it in the IP portions of their networks by 30 June 2021, and extended the deadline to 30 June 2023 for smaller facilities-based providers with 100,000 or fewer lines.
This targets spoofed calls, not legally restricted ones. A restricted call still passes through STIR/SHAKEN verification; it just doesn't display a number to the person receiving it.
Conclusion
A restricted call is a legal, standard feature, not automatically a red flag. Dial *67 to block your own number for a single call, remember it won't work for toll-free or 911 numbers, and use your phone's screening settings, Screen Unknown Callers on iPhone or Filter spam calls and Call Screen on Android, if you'd rather send unidentified calls straight to voicemail.
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FAQ
It means the caller blocked their own phone number before calling, a legal feature called calling line identification restriction (CLIR). The FCC confirms this is not the same as spoofing.
Dial *67, then the full 10-digit number, then call. This works on Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.
On Verizon, dial *82 before the number. AT&T's and T-Mobile's wireless support pages don't document this code, so check your own carrier if you're not on Verizon.
No. Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile all confirm caller ID blocking doesn't apply to 800 numbers or 911 calls; your number goes through regardless.
Go to Settings, Apps, Phone and use Screen Unknown Callers, which can silence calls from numbers not in your contacts and send them to voicemail. This is separate from FaceTime's own Silence Unknown Callers toggle.
It depends on your phone. The Google Phone app has a Filter spam calls setting, and Pixel phones have a separate Call Screen feature that can automatically screen unknown calls.
No. Blocking your caller ID is a legal, standard telephony feature used for many ordinary reasons, not a sign of fraud by itself.
An FCC-required framework that authenticates caller ID over IP networks to fight illegal spoofing. Carriers had to implement it by 30 June 2021, with smaller providers given until 30 June 2023.
