Self help - Protecting your confidentiality





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Calling helplines - Protecting your confidentiality

If you have a problem and would like to talk to a telephone help-line there are some steps you can take to protect your confidentiality and anonymity.

Phone Bills & Itemisation -Phone bills are often itemised which makes them easy to check. If you call from home anyone else living there who sees the bill may find out the number you have called. If you rent property and the phone isn't registered in your name, the bill will be sent to the person in whose name it is registered, even if you are the one who pays it. Calls to numbers beginning with 0800 are free and will not show up on a bill. If you call a freephone number on a mobile phone you will hear a message informing you that you have to redial without the initial 0 and that you will be charged for the call. The call will appear on the bill.Remember, a chargeable call can be itemised on a bill.

Ways to protect your confidentiality when you are concerned a number will show up on a telephone bill There may be times when you would rather not have a call listed on a bill. Perhaps you want to make a call in confidence to a help-line or another helping agency and don't want anyone else to know. Here are some points to consider: Use the phone of a trusted relative or friend - Be sure that you can trust the person as their bill could show the number you have called. Use a public phone box - There isn't a problem with itemised billing here, but public phones are not ideal for personal calls. Other people queuing can be off putting and it may not always be easy to get to a public phone in a quiet location. If you phone from work - Your employer could find out from their phone bill that a help-line has been called. Also, most modern switchboards are able to keep a record of all calls made (and the extension from which they were made), including any calls to freephone numbers. Ask the help-line to call you back - If your phone bill is fully itemised, any call, no matter how brief, will be listed on the bill.

Other services that might reveal your identity Remember these services are available on some mobile phones too. Last number redial - By pressing the redial button anyone can find out the number last called from that particular phone. To prevent this happening simply dial any other number after the call and this will be stored by the telephone instead. Some phones, including mobiles, can store more than just the last number called.

Caller display - The Caller Display service shows the number from which a call is being made, before the call is answered, either on a screen on a caller display phone or on an attachment. This service is also now available with some mobile phones. Call return - This service tells you the number of the phone which was used to make the last call to your telephone even if the call was not answered. The service will also tell you the time and date the call was made. To access the service you dial 1471. This service is now also available with some mobile phones.

Services which protect your identity -Withholding your number (so it does not show up on caller display equipment and is not revealed by call return) - If you dial 141, then the number you want, the screen on the other person's caller display equipment will show 'number withheld. If 1471 is dialed a message will inform them that the number was withheld. If you want to withhold your number on all calls made from your phone, including mobile phones, contact the appropriate telephone service provider. You will not be charged for this service. You should be able to contact a help-line even if you withhold your number on your call, and most do not use caller display equipment. If you are unsure, ask!

Anonymous Call Reject - On some networks, customers can choose not to receive a call if the caller has withheld their number. If this is the case, you will hear a message saying that it has not been possible to connect your call and that you must redial without the number withhold code (141). If your number is automatically withheld on all calls you may be able to forward your number on an individual call by dialing 1470 before the number you are calling.

Ring Back - The BT Ring Back service allows you to connect to an engaged number once it becomes free. If you ring a number and it is engaged and wish to set up a Ring Back, dial 5 and replace the receiver. Your phone will be called with a distinctive ring when the number you are calling becomes free. When you pick up the receiver the number you are calling will be rung automatically. Once set up, the service will check the number called for the next 45 minutes after which it is automatically cancelled. There is a charge for using the Ring Back service. If you wish to use Ring Back but have to leave the phone before the person you are calling becomes free, you can cancel the service by dialing #37#. Not all numbers, including those of some help-lines, will accept the Ring Back service. An announcement will inform you if this service is not available.

Keeping Your Number Confidential - Remember being ex-directory will not prevent your number being displayed by Caller Display equipment or disclosed through Call Return. Finally, if you dial 999 or 112, your details will always be given to the emergency services.

Site last updated - 17/9/04