How to Stop a Prank Caller

Last Updated: May 6, 2021

Prank calls can be very annoying, especially if a prank caller continues to call over time. Threatening, obscene, or harassing calls can be a serious problem. With a few easy steps you can identify and stop a prank caller from calling.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Stopping a Prank Caller on a Landline Phone

1
Contact the police. If the call is obscene or threatening, it may violate local or state laws. Contact your local police department to make a report, especially if the call is threatening and not just annoying.^{[1]
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2
Contact your phone company. Many phone companies have whole offices devoted to nuisance calls. Check with your phone company to find out what services they offer to help you manage prank calls.
- AT&T has an Annoyance Call page with information and policies.
- Verizon has an Unlawful Call Center page with information about both unlawful and unwanted calls.
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3
Screen your calls. To avoid talking to a prank caller, screen your calls using an answering machine, voicemail, or Caller ID.
4
Use a phone company service to find out who is calling. Phone companies offer a variety of services that can help you figure out who is making a prank call. The availability and cost of these services vary by company.
- A "trap" is a service that enables the phone company to determine the number of a prank caller if they call repeatedly. Once a trap is set up you record the times and dates of calls so that the phone company can use them to find the caller's number.^{[2]
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- A trace can help you find the number of the last caller to your landline phone. Dial *57 (1157 for rotary/pulse phones) right after you receive a prank call and follow the instructions in the recorded message from your phone company.^{[3]
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- Caller ID is a service you can set up in advance to see who is calling you as soon as the phone begins to ring. Check with your phone company to see what equipment and costs are required to use Caller ID.
- Anonymous Call Rejection or Privacy Manager are services that can help you find out blocked numbers or prevent them from calling. These services require callers who have blocked their number from Caller ID to reveal their phone number in order to complete a call to your line. If the caller's number normally appears as "anonymous," "private," "out of area," or "unavailable," the service requires the caller to state their name before allowing the call to ring your phone line.^{[4]
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5
Block the prank calls. Once you know the number of your prank caller use a phone company service to prevent them from calling you again.
- Call block (*60), also called Call Screen, is a service that lets you block some numbers from calling your phone line. Use the service by dialing *60 or contact your phone company to set it up.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Stopping a Prank Caller on a Mobile Phone

1
Contact the police. If the call is threatening or harassing, it may violate local or state laws. Contact your local police department to make a report if the call is threatening. Harassing calls to a cell phone may also be covered by electronic communications harassment laws in your state.
2
Screen your calls. Your mobile phone should display the phone number of the prank caller. Don't answer calls from that number and you won't have to talk to them.^{[6]
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3
Send prank calls straight to voicemail. Make a contact in your phone for the prank caller's number. Many mobile phones have options in the contact list to change the result of an incoming call including assigning a different ringtone or sending calls straight to voicemail.
- If your phone doesn't have an option to send calls from a contact to voicemail, set the ringtone for your prank caller's contact to silent so calls will not make your phone ring.
4
Block the prank calls. While mobile phone companies do not offer the same Call Block or Call Screen services that landline phone companies do, you may still be able to have the calls from a particular number blocked. Many companies offer services for parents who want to restrict their child's mobile phone use, including the ability to prevent specific numbers from calling the phone.
5
Use an app. Search your app store for call management and call blocking apps. The apps available will depend on the kind of phone you use, but many free apps can block calls from a particular number.

Community Q&A

Question

A pervert keeps calling me with different phone numbers. How can I stop this?

Community Answer

Block each number as he calls from it. I would also recommend reporting the behavior to the police, especially if you know the person that's doing it.
Question

If I am trying to call someone and I press the wrong number, could I be charged with prank calling?

Community Answer

No. If you do that, simply say, "I'm sorry, I've dialed the wrong number." It happens all the time, anyone should be understanding of this.
Question

How do I know if the call is a prank?

Community Answer

Just stop talking. Many of the popular prank calls are just recordings. If you stop talking, or better yet, talk a ton and very slowly, eventually you will hear them continue to ramble on while you are talking, or talk about something you didn't say. Also, the easiest thing to do is check the validity of the statement. The instant you realize it is about something you didn't do, it will either be a prank or a scam. If they ask for money, report to the police.