# Can the police trace a blocked call in this case?



## ironpony (May 4, 2017)

If someone called a housephone, for ransom demands, could the police trace it with modern technology, if the number is blocked, or is there a way to make the number untraceable?


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## Phil Istine (May 4, 2017)

ironpony said:


> If someone called a housephone, for ransom demands, could the police trace it with modern technology, if the number is blocked, or is there a way to make the number untraceable?



In the UK, I know the police can see the number of a caller even if they withhold it.  Indeed, call numbers going to the police station and the emergency number (999 in this case) are shown routinely.
However, I suppose if someone if were using the internet to make the call, it would be much harder to trace - especially if routing through an anonymous server.  Someone more tech savvy than I ought to be able to help on that one.


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## who me? (May 4, 2017)

ironpony said:


> If someone called a housephone, for ransom demands, could the police trace it with modern technology, if the number is blocked, or is there a way to make the number untraceable?




have you heard of burner phones ?

they can trace the number but not the owner
they can trace the location when called
but then they dispose of the phone and go somewhere else
having gone to an unusual spot to make the call that is free of video cameras


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## ironpony (Dec 1, 2017)

Okay thanks, that makes sense.  I read that the government was trying to make pre-paid phones illegal though, so criminals would not be allowed to use burner phones anymore.  Has that taken effect yet, or do you think it will in the next couple of years, and thus preventing my story from working?

Also when the police want to put a tap on someone's phone in order to attempt to trace where the calls are coming from, how to they install a tap?  If they wanted to install a tap on someone's house phone, do they have to go to the person's house and do it physically, or can they just call the phone company and work with them on it, and it can be done without having to go to the house of the person?  What about tapping cell phones, how to the police do that?


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## Terry D (Dec 1, 2017)

Do you have Google? All I did was type in, 'how are telephones tapped' and I came up with this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_tapping

Probably all the info you need.


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## ironpony (Dec 1, 2017)

Okay thanks. I looked that page up before but it mostly talks about recording conversations on the phone, and not tracing the caller specifically though.


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## Jack of all trades (Dec 2, 2017)

Pay as you go phones still exist. The cheap cell phones, though, are not available. By cheap, I mean the ones that just make calls. I think you might still be able to get them from certain providers, but the days of walking into a mall and buying a super cheap phone are gone.  At least where I live.


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## ironpony (Dec 3, 2017)

So do criminals not use burner phones anymore then?


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