Trace a Prank Phone Call
Prank phone calls aren't amusing--they're harassment. Sometimes, even caller ID won't tell you who's calling, but that doesn't mean you're left without options. It may be possible to trace prank calls from home and put an end to annoying telephonic harassment.
Instructions
1. Stop participating. If you're getting harassing phone calls, don't attempt to engage your harasser. Once it becomes clear a call is meant as a prank of some sort, simply hang up. Any sort of response from you at all could encourage the harasser to call you even more.
2. Start keeping records. Keep a notepad and pen near the phone whenever possible, and make a note of the date and time of all harassing prank phone calls. If any phone company or police participation is needed, you'll need to have these records to begin making your case.
3. Get caller ID. It will cost more per month on your phone bill to add the caller ID service, and you may need to buy a new phone in order to enjoy the service. However, adding caller ID to the phone can be a very easy way to start tracing prank phone calls, so the added cost can be well worth it.
4. Add call trace to your phone. Sometimes, even caller ID won't give you the answers you seek. When mysterious prank phone calls are disrupting your life, you might want to consider adding call trace to your phone. This is another service offered by the phone company through which you can automatically track harassing phone calls by punching *57 immediately after receiving a prank phone call. Trace does require a fee and must be set up in advance before it will start working on your phone.
5. Contact your local phone company. If prank phone calls are particularly disturbing, call the phone company and explain matters to them. It is possible to set up a trap for your prank caller, wherein your phone calls will be monitored for approximately two weeks. During this time, it's doubly important for you to keep a log of all the harassing calls.
6. Hit *69. Perhaps the most well-known method of tracing any phone call, prank or otherwise, is simply punching *69 on your phone. Be sure to wait for the dial tone before hitting the code, which in most cases will reveal the phone number of your caller. Be advised that using the *69 feature usually results in an extra charge on your phone bill.
