The process of concealing one’s telephone number when placing a call from a mobile device allows the recipient to see “Private Number,” “Blocked,” or “Unknown” instead of the caller’s actual digits. This feature can be activated on a per-call basis or as a default setting on many smartphones. Dialing a specific prefix code before the intended number or adjusting settings within the phone’s operating system typically achieves this outcome. For instance, appending *67 to the beginning of a phone number will usually hide the outgoing caller ID within the United States and Canada.
Obscuring a phone number offers enhanced privacy, preventing unsolicited call-backs and limiting the sharing of personal contact information. This capability can be especially pertinent in situations where maintaining control over who possesses one’s phone number is desired. Historically, this functionality was primarily employed by businesses or individuals needing to contact others without revealing their direct line, evolving into a commonplace feature accessible to the average mobile phone user.