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*67 Isn’t the Privacy Shield You Think It Is

Quick Summary

  • What *67 does: Blocks caller ID for some, but not all, personal calls and landlines.
  • Where it fails: Scammers using call center systems, Toll-free numbers, 911, call centers, and recipients who have your number saved in their contacts.
  • Better alternatives: Use virtual number apps (like Google Voice), secondary burner numbers, or call-blocking services rather than relying on *67 to stay anonymous.

For decades, dialing *67 before a phone number has been the go-to trick for blocking caller ID on outbound calls. It’s simple, free, and widely known. But in 2026, *67 is no longer the privacy shield people expect.

Modern telecom networks, smartphones, and fraud‑detection systems have changed how caller ID works, and scammers are abusing *67 to exploit unsuspecting victims.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, scammers often use caller ID spoofing to make a call appear to come from a local number, a familiar company, or even a government agency. Even when scammers don’t use *67, you can’t always trust what looks like a valid caller ID.

For outbound calls, *67 works in some situations, fails in others, and is completely useless in many of the scenarios people care about most.

What Does *67 Do? 

Dialing *67 before a phone number (e.g., *67‑555‑123‑4567) sends a ‘caller ID block’ request to the telecom carrier. If the carrier honors it, the recipient will see a message other than your number. It does not, however, hide your number from the carrier, law enforcement, or the phone company. It only hides your number from the person you’re calling, and only if the telephone carrier system allows it.

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