Does *67 Work on Text Messages? The Short Answer Is No

If you've ever typed *67 before a phone number and wondered whether the same trick works for texting, the answer is unambiguous: it doesn't. No star code will hide your number on a text message, and the reason comes down to how SMS works at the network level.

Six independent sources reach the same conclusion. As Burner's guide to private texting puts it: "*67 only blocks your number for voice calls. It does not affect SMS messages because the number is still transmitted through the carrier network during texting." Fresh Number confirms that "Star 67 is limited to voice calls only," and Ambs Call Center states plainly that "SMS and MMS messages always include sender information."

The technical reason is simple: texting has no caller ID layer to block. When you dial *67 before a call, you're toggling a per-call caller ID suppression feature built into the voice network. SMS and MMS don't work that way — your number is embedded in the message itself as it travels through your carrier, so there's nothing for a star code to suppress. As My Country Mobile summarizes: "Send an SMS or MMS and your number goes through in full. For text privacy, you need a separate number, not a star code."

This also applies to your phone's built-in settings. Toggling off "Show My Caller ID" on an iPhone or Android affects outgoing phone calls only — it does not hide your phone number in standard messages.

Here's what *67 actually does and doesn't do, based on the research:

• Works on: voice calls from iPhone, Android, and most landlines — free, per-call, and resets after every call
• Fails on: toll-free numbers, 911 and emergency services (blocking is disabled by law), and some businesses that reject blocked calls
• Does nothing for: SMS, MMS, and any text-based messaging
• Never provides: true anonymity — carriers log the originating number, and law enforcement can request those records

That last point matters more than most people realize. Phone companies log every call — including the originating number — even when 67 is used, and your carrier can identify you via Automatic Number Identification regardless. 67 is privacy from the recipient, not anonymity.

For businesses, the takeaway is direct: there is no shortcut code for texting identity. If you're reaching out to leads by text, hiding your number isn't a strategy — it's a red flag. Legitimate business texting runs on registered, consent-based channels, which is why CallMyLeads handles all client texting through A2P 10DLC-registered numbers with explicit consent collected at booking and opt-outs honored instantly. Recipients know exactly who's texting them — and that's what gets replies, not ignored.

The same principle shows up in federal law. The Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 prohibits transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongly obtain anything of value. Masking your identity to reach customers isn't just ineffective for texts — done deceptively, it carries legal risk.

So if you need text privacy as an individual, the working alternatives are second-number apps or iMessage's email-based sending. If you're a business trying to reach leads, skip the workarounds entirely — a properly registered, clearly identified number is the only approach that works and complies.

What *67 Actually Does (and Where Even That Fails)

*67 earned its reputation as the quick privacy trick — but only for calls. Understanding exactly what it does, and where it breaks down, explains why it never made the jump to texting.

Dial 67 before a phone number, and your caller ID shows up as "Private" or "Unknown" on the recipient's end. It's a per-call, network-level toggle that masks your number for that one call only — it resets after every call, and dialing it costs nothing. Per guides on the feature, 67 is free to use with no per-call charges.

The code works broadly across devices. It functions on iPhone, Android, and most landlines, though some landline providers use #31# instead, and older rotary systems use 1167. If you want the opposite effect — revealing your number for one call when permanent blocking is on — *82 does that.

But *67 has hard limits, even for voice calls. It fails in three common situations:

• Toll-free numbers (800, 888, and similar) can still see your number.
• 911 and emergency services — blocking is disabled by law, so your number always transmits.
• Some businesses and government agencies reject blocked calls outright, so your call never connects.

There's a bigger caveat: 67 is privacy from the recipient, not anonymity. Phone companies log every call — including the originating number — even when 67 is used, and law enforcement can request those records. Your carrier can also identify you through Automatic Number Identification regardless of the code.

What about the built-in caller ID settings on your phone? They don't help with texts either. Hiding your Caller ID on iPhone or Android affects outgoing calls only — it does nothing for standard messages. And those settings aren't even guaranteed for calls, since not all carriers allow caller ID hiding features to work.

For businesses, this matters beyond convenience. Under TCPA rules, masking identity is never a compliance strategy — legitimate outreach requires consent, clear disclosure, and registered channels. That's why services like CallMyLeads handle business texting through properly registered, consent-based channels rather than star codes that were never designed for the job. For individuals, the takeaway is simpler: if you need texting privacy, *67 simply isn't the tool.

Hidden From the Recipient Isn't Hidden From Everyone

Many people assume that if *67 hides their number on a call, it must work the same way for texts. It doesn't. Carriers log the originating number on every SMS and MMS message regardless of any prefix code, so the sender remains visible to the network even when the recipient sees a masked display.

Phone companies record the originating number on every call and text, including those placed with 67, and law enforcement can request those records. One analysis notes that 67 provides privacy from the recipient, not anonymity, because Automatic Number Identification still identifies the caller to the carrier. The same principle applies to texting: the message payload always carries the sender's identity through the carrier network.

That distinction matters for anyone using text messaging in a business context. Anonymous texting is legal when it protects privacy or supports legitimate communication, but it crosses into illegal territory when used for harassment, fraud, or threats. The Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 prohibits transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongly obtain anything of value. Masking a number is not a compliance strategy — it is a privacy feature with clear legal boundaries.

• Carriers log the originating number on every SMS and MMS message
• Law enforcement can access those records with proper legal process
• The Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 bans misleading caller ID with intent to defraud or harm
• Anonymous texting is legal for privacy; illegal for harassment, fraud, or threats

For companies that rely on texting to reach leads, the takeaway is straightforward: there is no star-code shortcut around identity. Legitimate business messaging requires registered, consent-based channels that honor opt-outs immediately. CallMyLeads handles this by operating under A2P 10DLC registration with explicit consent collection and automatic opt-out handling, so every conversation starts on the right side of the rules. When speed matters — first reply in seconds, 24/7/365 — compliant infrastructure is what keeps the pipeline moving without putting the business at risk.

Legit Ways to Text Without Showing Your Personal Number

Since *67 doesn't work on texts, you might wonder what actually does. The honest answer: there's no star code or settings toggle that hides your number on an SMS. But there are a few legitimate workarounds — each with real trade-offs.

The most reliable option is a second or virtual phone number app. Services like Burner, Hushed, and Talkatone give you a separate number to text from, so your personal number never enters the conversation. Pricing varies widely: Hushed numbers start at $1.99, Burner runs $9.99 per month on app stores (or $4.99 on desktop), and Talkatone is free with ads, according to one privacy-focused review.

One caution before you download anything: most of the sources recommending these apps sell them. Burner and Hushed both publish the guides praising second numbers, so treat their claims as marketing, not neutral advice. That said, the core logic holds — the surest way to keep a number private is simply not to use it.

iPhone users have a free partial option. You can send iMessages from an email address instead of your phone number. The catch, as Burner's guide explains, is that this only works for iMessage-to-iMessage conversations. The moment the other person isn't on an Apple device, the message falls back to standard SMS — with your number attached.

The third option is an email-to-SMS gateway. You send an email to a special address, and it arrives as a text. It hides your phone number, but it exposes your email address instead, so you're swapping one identifier for another. Common gateway domains include:

• AT&T — @txt.att.net
• Verizon — @vtext.com
• T-Mobile — @tmomail.net
• Cricket — @sms.cricketwireless.net
• US Cellular — @email.uscc.net

A final note on legality: texting from a hidden or alternate number is legal for privacy and legitimate communication, but illegal for harassment, fraud, or threats. And remember, carriers log everything — phone companies keep records of the originating number even when blocking codes are used, and law enforcement can request them.

For businesses, these workarounds aren't a strategy anyway. Legitimate business texting requires registered, consent-based channels under US carrier rules (A2P 10DLC), with clear disclosure and immediate opt-out handling. That's the standard we build into every CallMyLeads text flow — because masking your identity was never a substitute for doing it right.

Why Businesses Can't Text From the Shadows — and Shouldn't Want To

If you run a business and you've been wondering whether *67 could hide your number when you text a lead, here's the short answer: it can't, and even if it could, you wouldn't want it to. Texting identity isn't something to hide — it's something to get right.

The research is unanimous. Multiple sources confirm that *67 only blocks your number for voice calls, because SMS messages always transmit the sender's number through the carrier network. Even your phone's built-in Caller ID hiding settings affect outgoing calls only, not standard messages.

More importantly, masking was never true anonymity anyway. As one analysis puts it, "Phone companies log every call — including the originating number — even when *67 is used." Your carrier can identify you through Automatic Number Identification regardless of any star code, according to technical breakdowns of how the system works.

For businesses, the legal stakes are real. The Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 prohibits transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongly obtain anything of value. And as legal guides note, hiding your number is legal for privacy but illegal when used for harassment or fraud — a second number is "a privacy tool, not a way to avoid legal accountability."

So what does legitimate business texting actually require?

• A2P 10DLC registration — US carriers require business texting to run through registered channels, not shadow numbers
• Explicit consent — collected at the point of contact, before the first message goes out
• Immediate opt-out handling — the moment a lead says stop, the texts stop
• Quiet-hours compliance — telemarketing laws restrict when you can send messages

None of this slows you down if it's built in from the start. CallMyLeads runs its lead-response texting through registered, compliant channels — consent is collected during the booking flow, opt-outs are honored automatically, and every text a lead receives comes from a number they can trust and reply to. That's the real advantage: when a lead gets a text within seconds of filling out your form, a number they recognize and a clear identity is what gets the reply, not a masked one.

Speed wins leads. Transparency keeps them.