How to Call from a Private Number on Android, iPhone, or Landline (Worldwide Guide)

In today’s privacy-driven world, people often prefer to make calls without revealing their number. Whether you’re a journalist, a business professional, or simply protecting your identity, knowing how to call from a private number is incredibly useful. In South Africa alone, over 6.6K people search for this topic monthly. In the US, it’s nearly 3K.

In today’s privacy-conscious world, many people prefer to make phone calls without revealing their identity. Whether you’re a journalist, a business owner, or someone trying to protect your personal space, learning how to call from a private number is a useful skill.

This topic isn’t just limited to tech-savvy users — it has broad global interest. Based on publicly available keyword trends, thousands of people search for this topic monthly:

• 🇿🇦 South Africa – Over 6,600 monthly searches
• 🇺🇸 United States – Nearly 3,000
• 🇳🇬 Nigeria – 1,300+
• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom – 1,300+
• 🇮🇳 India – 590+
• 🇷🇴 Romania – Around 480

This shows that many users around the world are actively looking for ways to protect their privacy during phone calls.

In this article, we cover:

Let’s uncover the easiest ways to dial anonymously.

🔒 What Is a Private Number Call?

A private number call is when your caller ID is hidden from the recipient. Instead of your number, the other person sees “Private Number,” “Unknown,” or “Blocked.”

Common Use Cases:

• Protecting identity
• Business inquiries
• Anonymous tips or reporting
• Surprise or prank calls (ethically, of course)

📱 How to Call from a Private Number on Android

There are two easy ways:

✉️ Method 1: Using Android Settings

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Tap the three dots (menu) > Settings.
3. Go to Calls or Call Settings.
4. Tap Additional settings > Caller ID.
5. Select Hide number.

Your number will now be hidden for all outgoing calls.

☎️ Method 2: Use Prefix Code

• Dial #31# before the number (globally used)
• For example: #31#9876543210
• This hides your number for one call only

Carrier Tips (India):

• Jio, Vi, Airtel: All support #31#
• BSNL may block hidden ID by default for security

🍎 How to Call from a Private Number on iPhone

⚖️ iOS Settings Method:

1. Open Settings > Phone.
2. Tap Show My Caller ID.
3. Toggle OFF to hide your number.

☎️ Use the Prefix Code for One-Time Use

• Dial #31# + phone number
• Example: #31#9123456789

Note: Some iPhones on certain carriers (e.g., Verizon) may not support this.

☎️ How to Call Privately from Landline

Prefix Codes by Country:

Country	Prefix Code	Example Dial
South Africa (🇿🇦)	*31#	*31#0821234567
United States (🇺🇸)	*67	*67 5551234567
Nigeria (🇳🇬)	#31#	#31#08012345678
UK (🇬🇧)	141	141 0123456789
India (🇮🇳)	#31#	#31#9876543210
Romania (🇷🇴)	#31#	#31#0740123456

Real-World Use Cases:

• South African activist reporting anonymously
• US journalist reaching sources safely
• Indian citizen calling an official hotline with privacy

📲 Best Apps for Calling Anonymously (Worldwide)

App	Caller ID Hiding	Play Store	App Store	Region Focus
Google Voice	Yes (via settings)	✅	✅	US, Global
Burner	Yes	✅	✅	US, UK, CA
WeTalk	Yes	✅	✅	Global (Cheap Intl. Calls)
TextNow	Yes (VoIP)	✅	✅	North America
2ndLine	Yes	✅	✅	US/CA only

Pros of Using Apps:

• Dual numbers
• Call tracking
• Disposable IDs
• Voicemail options

🚫 How to Block a Private Number from Calling You

Android:

• Settings > Calls > Block Unknown Callers
• Use apps like Truecaller, Hiya, or CallApp

iPhone:

• Go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers
• Enable “Do Not Disturb” with allowed contacts only

👀 How to Find Out Who Called from a Private Number

1. Truecaller / TrapCall: Reveal hidden IDs
2. Call Return Codes:
   • US: *69
   • UK: 1471
3. Telecom Provider Assistance
4. Police Complaint for repeated harassment

India Specific Tip: Use TRAI DND services to log spam or misuse.

⚖️ Is It Legal to Call from a Private Number?

India 🇮🇳

• Legal but discouraged for business/political use
• Emergency numbers like 100/112 will reject hidden calls

US 🇺🇸

• Legal, but spam laws (TCPA) apply
• Caller ID spoofing = ILLEGAL

UK 🇬🇧 & EU 🇪🇺

• GDPR allows hiding ID if not deceptive
• Business marketing must show ID

South Africa 🇿🇦

• Legal, but telcos log calls for record purposes

🆚 Private Number vs Normal Call: A Comparison

Feature	Private Number	Normal Number
Caller ID	Hidden	Visible
Traceability	Partial	Full
Acceptance	Low	High
Use Case	Privacy/Security	General Calls
Spam Risk	Higher	Lower

🧠 Voice Assistant Tip

Google Assistant:

• “Hey Google, hide my caller ID” → will guide settings

Siri:

• “Turn off my caller ID” → opens phone settings (iPhone only)

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❓ Extended FAQs (SEO Schema Friendly)

📌 Real-World Scenarios (User Intent-Based Expansion)

• South African lawyer: Using *31# prefix to protect client identity
• Indian teacher: Using #31# to surprise parents with progress update
• Nigerian doctor: Calling lab results without exposing personal line
• US parent: Using Google Voice for school interactions

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📢 Conclusion: Stay Smart While Staying Anonymous

Whether you’re in South Africa, the U.S., Nigeria, or India, you now know exactly how to make a private call. You also know the risks, the law, and the tools to block or trace those calls.

Use responsibly, protect your identity, and be informed. Your privacy matters — but so does your safety.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. Please follow your country’s laws before using caller ID hiding tools.

Author: M Raj

Published on: 04/16/2025