Can a *67 number be traced?

Can a *67 Number Be Traced? The Illusion of Anonymity

The humble asterisk-67 (67), or its equivalent on other phone systems, promises caller ID anonymity. Many use it to make private calls, shielding their number from the recipient. But does it truly provide anonymity? The short answer is no. While 67 prevents your number from appearing on the recipient’s caller ID display, it’s far from a cloak of invisibility.

The functionality of *67 relies on masking your number at the point of call connection. Your phone company essentially inserts a temporary placeholder in place of your actual phone number. This placeholder is what the recipient sees – typically a blank screen or a message indicating an “unknown caller” or “private number.” However, this masking only affects the recipient’s end of the call.

Your phone company retains complete records of your call, including your actual phone number, the time of the call, the duration, and the number you dialed. This information is stored in their call detail records (CDRs). These CDRs are not readily accessible to the general public, but they are readily available to law enforcement and, in certain circumstances, to the phone company itself.

This means that while the recipient sees a masked number, law enforcement agencies can easily trace a call made using *67. This is especially true in situations involving suspected illegal activity, harassment, or emergencies. A simple warrant allows authorities to access the CDRs and pinpoint the originating number.

Furthermore, calls made to toll-free numbers often have additional tracking mechanisms in place. These numbers, typically used by businesses, often log the originating number even when 67 is utilized. This is because toll-free services need to track the source of calls for billing and operational purposes. Therefore, dialing 67 when calling a toll-free number is practically pointless in terms of anonymity.

In conclusion, 67 provides a limited form of privacy, obscuring your number from the recipient. However, it doesn’t offer true anonymity. Your phone company and law enforcement agencies possess the means to trace calls made using 67, especially under legal compulsion. The perceived anonymity is an illusion, and relying on *67 for truly private communications is risky. Individuals seeking true anonymity should consider alternative and more secure communication methods.