topic Re: How to stop private number harassing you? in Get Support

How to stop private number harassing you?

charrona — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 07:11:56 GMT

Hey all,

For the past month I've had a "private number" call me between 1 and 4 times a day. When I pick up there is just silence. I don't think it's a robot because the time before they hang up isn't consistent, sometimes right away, others they wait 20-30 seconds like they're trying to talk to me and I can't hear them.

I thought it was because I didn't have long distance, so I bought the long distance addon and it didnt help. *69 said I couldn't call long distance before, and now it just says it's unavailable.

I heard of an app called trapcall that will tell you the number, but the app store says "not available on your provider".

It's very annoying and I don't want to block all private numbers in case it's something important. I do not want to change my number as I have been using the same one for 16 years.

Any ideas on what I can do? Can public mobile provide the number somehow?

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

CaNuCk07 — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 15:51:55 GMT

Best thing to do is message the moderators, see if there is any way for them to trade it in the background. I doubt there is anything that can be done from self serve.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

mimmo — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 15:56:58 GMT

are you using android or iphone? you could try truecaller app. i thibk that i rthe one that has been suggested on the forums before

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

Raven_Jet — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 16:35:36 GMT

This is definitely an issue... but the question is, do you have people who have private number that will call you?

If there isn't then you can cancel the call when it rings to forward it to voicemail. That's what I do.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

pratchak — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 16:42:59 GMT

I am interested to see what is the solution for this issue. I get random calls from US. They dont talk after I receive the call. They just hang up. Not sure what that was about.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

Samianauman — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 18:40:33 GMT

Only have 2 options AVAIALBE.
Either change your number to new one. Or I personally like true caller app I m using it as well you can set your priority on setting like block all spam and private and unknown numbers as well. Work pretty good also come with sms app too and provides real time caller id.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

kav2001c — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 19:16:27 GMT

But does true caller show blocked numbers?

I was under impression only CQS could do this (and Bell / Telus pretty much banned that app, unless you have an old copy)

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

Samianauman — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 19:18:07 GMT

Blocked number showed up as blocked caller in spam folder but you can manually set like phone won't ring on blocked or spam calls.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

DragonSpecV — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 19:42:34 GMT

@charrona

Unfortunately that's the beauty of "Private caller" is that you can block your # from showing up to anyone else. Nothing thus far exists to change that option to display the true caller.

Since you do not want to change your number, the only true option is to push the "private caller" to voicemail. As you say, you don't want to miss an important call, so if it's important, they will leave you a voicemail. If no voicemail, must not have been important at all!

Good luck!

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

jpar — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 13:17:18 GMT

@DragonSpecV wrote:
@charrona
Unfortunately that's the beauty of "Private caller" is that you can block your # from showing up to anyone else. Nothing thus far exists to change that option to display the true caller.

Since you do not want to change your number, the only true option is to push the "private caller" to voicemail. As you say, you don't want to miss an important call, so if it's important, they will leave you a voicemail. If no voicemail, must not have been important at all!

Good luck!

The carrier can still see the number through ANI though, the whole call display blocking feature is not 100% supported worldwide (toll-free numbers, for example. use ANI to see your number anyway), so they (PM/Telus) may be able to find something that way.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

DragonSpecV — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 13:50:51 GMT

@jpar

If it was true that the carrier would still be able to see the number, when the caller goes to voicemail, it would read back that number. Unfortunately it just comes back as "... from an unknown number" or "caller".

But I think it would be safe to assume @charrona doesn't own a toll-free number, so ANI won't apply in this case. But good find none the less!

If it was easy for anyone to reveal blocked / private numbers, I'm sure someone would already be making millions creating an app for smart phones as I'm sure a lot of people would pay for such an app.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

jpar — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 13:53:31 GMT

@DragonSpecV wrote:
@jpar
If it was true that the carrier would still be able to see the number, when the caller goes to voicemail, it would read back that number. Unfortunately it just comes back as "... from an unknown number" or "caller".

But I think it would be safe to assume @charrona doesn't own a toll-free number, so ANI won't apply in this case. But good find none the less!

If it was easy for anyone to reveal blocked / private numbers, I'm sure someone would already be making millions creating an app for smart phones as I'm sure a lot of people would pay for such an app.

The carrier technically can, though, and it's nothing to do with having or not having a toll-free number. They just choose to respect the 'private caller' tag that's sent when a call comes in with that enabled. An app wouldn't have access to any of that information as the carrier wouldn't be disclosing it with the incoming call anyway. I'm just saying that if it were a significant enough issue, there is a way to trace the origin of the call, but it's something a network team would have to do. It certainly can be done.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

charrona — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 23:08:17 GMT

@DragonSpecV

An app does exist, it's called trapcall and works by routing your number through a 1-800 number. However it doesn't work on public mobile for some reason.

I really wish I could tell who is calling me 😞

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

kimberley1 — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 16:54:40 GMT

im recieving harassing phone calls from a unknow number i would love to change my number please

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

Jb456 — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 16:55:46 GMT

@kimberley1 PM allows one change per 30 days. Log into your account and click change number.

Orange arrow on pic below.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

kimberley1 — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 16:55:53 GMT

my x calls me from a unknow number

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

kb_mv — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 16:57:24 GMT

@kimberley1 You can change your number for free once every 30 days. Go in self serve as shown in a previous post and change it. You just have to make sure he doesn't find out the new one from someone.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

LurganIeUk — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 17:55:17 GMT

@charrona @kimberley1

To take a new number is not the best idea. The new number may have been a “problem” and that is why it may have been relinquished.

So so far no one has said what kind of phone you have.

Some helpful steps:

Have an up to date contacts list

Religiously keep adding to it

Leave true “enemies” out of your contacts list

Any call that shows a number only, be cautious to answer or let go to voicemail

If you have “do not disturb” you have many options such as:

Set time frame for no calls accepted or calls from favourites only or calls from contact list only and/or if a caller not in your contacts that calls 2 or 3 times in a 3 minute time period.

I would caution the use of the latter. Or set phone to not accept calls 24/7 from a number is NOT in your contact list.

Sure you don’t want to be harassed. If push comes to shove visit your local police agency.

Sure you don’t want to miss a call.....but you won’t If voicemail kicks in. And if some one won’t leave a message..... then it’s not important.

And a new number might have had previous problems or was owned by a drug dealer or pizza delivery.

What happens when a friend or acquaintance leaks your new number to a friend to NOT a friend?

Bottom line it will cost “you” some time to build good contacts list to protect you and peace of mind.

Once done....make sure you occasionally back up phone.

Need contacts....ask your friends and family to text or email contacts in vcf format that they think would help you.

I don't know how this would benefit but will mention in case you can incorporate it.....a free Fongo number allows you to direct all calls from the Fongo dialled number to your PM number.

Edit.

And of course....block the obvious numbers from CRA, Westjet and Telus Chinese division....they are all scam calls.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

LurganIeUk — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 17:39:51 GMT

@kb_mv wrote:
@kimberley1 You can change your number for free once every 30 days. Go in self serve as shown in a previous post and change it. You just have to make sure he doesn't find out the new one from someone.

That’s going to cause a lot of work and hassle and even though you can do every 30 days, it should be last resort. I can see, for some professions, the option to change a number every 30 days is handy.

Re: How to stop private number harassing you?

kb_mv — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 17:53:49 GMT

@LurganIeUk wrote:
@kb_mv wrote:
That’s going to cause a lot of work and hassle and even though you can do every 30 days, it should be last resort. I can see, for some professions, the option to change a number every 30 days is handy.

@LurganIeUk I have moved a lot (and I mean a lot - 8 different provinces at least once, 16 times since married 35 years). In the past 20 years since cell phones became more common, I have moved 7 times including 3 different provinces. Today it is super easy updating people. A group email and / or SMS updates everyone I need to at once. Most others like banks can be updated online. Other than doctors office, schools and maybe a few others that will require a bit of effort, it is pretty easy.