How To Block an Incoming Cell Phone Call

People and businesses have developed tactics to get you to answer your cell phone even when they know you don't want to talk to them. Debt collectors are especially guilty of these tactics as are telemarketers and survey agencies. We will discuss how to stop these annoying calls. We will also look at how two of the top cell phone service providers help block unwanted phone calls.

You can identify most of these unwanted calls because they appear as "unknown" or "anonymous." Others are marked as "private." You may have family and friends who use the private call method to keep their numbers from being included on calling lists. If you are in the habit of not answering these calls, let them know so they can temporarily suspend that option when they call you.

If a call is coming from an unlisted number though, you may first want to find out who it is before you start blocking phone numbers. It might just be a long lost friend calling on you! If you're reluctant to answer the call lest you be trapped by an unwanted caller, you can solve the problem by tracing the number first. Check out these 3 solid phone reverse lookup sites:

• Reverse Phone Detective
• Reverse Mobile
• National Registry of Cellular Numbers

Prevent Unwanted Cell Phone Calls
There are four things you can do to prevent unwanted calls from ever happening.

1. Avoid giving your cell phone number to businesses unless they need to call you for repairs or service. Many companies sell your information to other businesses.
2. Place your cell phone number on the "Do Not Call" list at donotcall.gov. This will help reduce calls from telemarketers and survey companies.
3. Your cell phone service provider may be able to help with excessive spam. They can stop text messaging by adding the company to a "block list" and even reverse any charges.
4. Many smart phones contain special features to block cell phone calls. Find out what they are and use them.

Use a Dialing Code
If you have your service with Time Warner or Vonage, they provide a dialing code that you can dial from your cell phone. You can dial "77" and wait to hear the confirmation that all unknown and anonymous calls are blocked. Code "87" turns this service off.

If you have a different provider and these codes don't work on your phone, contact your cell phone service provider to determine if they offer a similar code system.

Stop Harassing Calls
Anonymous, unknown, and private calls are annoying and may even cost you money or minutes, but harassing calls are even more serious and should be dealt with swiftly.

First become familiar with your cell phone service provider's safety features offered to its customers. This information is easily found on the company's website.

Your cell phone manual should also give you this information. It's very important that you know how to activate the protective features of your cell phone model immediately.

If you are receiving threatening calls to your cell phone from someone you know or don't know, notify the police and your cell phone company immediately. Keep a record of the date, time, and what was said. You may end up having to change your phone number to get rid of harassing calls.

The three major cell phone companies answer the question on how to block incoming calls to your cell phone by posting directions on their website. This question is asked more than any other question about cell phone calls.

Verizon wireless and Sprint are two of the top cell phone companies in the nation. We will provide each company's directions on how to block a phone number from calling you in this article.

Verizon Wireless Instructions
To start blocking incoming calls, you must create an online account if you don't already have one.

1. Go to "My Services."
2. Go to SPAM CONTROL where you will enter up to 5 phone numbers that you wish to block. This method also works to keep them from sending text messages. It only works for 3 months, but you can repeat as many times as needed. You can unblock a number by removing it from the blocked list.

Verizon also has a "Do Not Disturb" feature that will allow you to block cell phone numbers. You can find this feature at GetItNow/Media Center or at mydonotdisturb.com.

Sprint Instructions

1. Place the unwanted caller's number in your cell phone's contact list.
2. Go to SETTINGS in your menu.
3. Scroll down until you come to MORE.
4. Click on RESTRICT AND BLOCK. Choose VOICE.
5. If your phone requires a lock code, enter the last 4 digits of your phone number.
6. Choose RESTRICT. Then INCOMING CALLS.
7. Find the number you want blocked in your contacts list. Select.

To restrict text messages, choose SMS MESSAGING instead of VOICE under the RESTRICT AND LOCK menu.

This article has given you several options in blocking cell phone calls to your own cell phone. You will find the best method for your particular phone by experimenting with these methods. If none of them work for you, contact the customer service center of your cell phone service provider.