To prevent scams, Taiwan’s three major telecom operators are responding to the National Communications Commission (NCC)’s telecom anti-fraud policy by fully implementing the “Anonymous Call Voice Warning” service starting July 1, 2026. Starting now, when mobile phone or landline users answer calls with no caller ID, they will hear bilingual warnings in Mandarin and Taiwanese Hokkien after the call connects, and can proceed with the conversation only after confirming it is safe.
What is the “Caller ID Blocked Call Voice Alert” service? Here is an explanation:
To prevent scams, the NCC and Taiwan’s three major telecom providers have fully implemented the “Hidden Number Incoming Call Voice Warning” service starting July 1. Effective immediately, users of CHT landlines or mobile services, Taiwan Mobile, and FarEasTone who receive calls from “hidden numbers” will hear a voice warning of approximately 7 seconds before the call connects, in Mandarin: “This is a hidden number call, please be cautious!” and in Taiwanese: “This is a call with no number, be careful!” This measure aims to reduce the risk of users falling for suspicious calls while maintaining the convenience of communication.
The “Caller ID Blocked Call Voice Alert” service is enabled by default and free to use, with no application required. Calls are not charged during the voice reminder period. If users need to connect quickly, they can press any number key (0–9) during the voice message to skip the announcement.
To disable or enable the “Hidden Number Call Voice Alert” feature, follow these steps:
1. Chunghwa Telecom:
Dial 12165 (press 2) or the customer service hotline 0800-080-123 (direct dial 123 from Chunghwa fixed lines or mobile) for inquiries or to set up activation/deactivation.
2. Far EasTone:
Dial 12165 directly from your mobile (for MVPN users, dial 9912165) to activate, deactivate, or check the status of International Call and Hidden Number alert features.
3. Taiwan Mobile:
Call 12165 from your mobile phone to activate, deactivate, or check the status of the Caller ID Block and International Call voice alert services.
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Hidden or blocked number calls are typically scam, telemarketing, or harassment calls. The “Caller ID Blocked Call Voice Alert” mechanism was developed based on the previous “International Call Voice Alert” mechanism, providing alerts when calls deliberately hide their real number to reduce the risk of being scammed at the source. The NCC stated that this year3Starting this month, the three major telecom carriers are required to first address hidden numbersThe “Recipient-Side Voice Alert” trial for mobile calls: According to statistics from the National Police Agency, Ministry of the Interior, after implementing measures such as “Real-time Blocking of Abnormal Call Traffic” and the latest “Recipient-Side Voice Alert” for mobile calls, hidden number fraud cases have dropped from the peak of 93 cases per week in July last year to single digits in May and June this year. Additionally, given concerns that criminal methods may shift to landline phones, the decision was made to expand the protective network by directing Chunghwa Telecom to implement voice alert mechanisms on landline recipient sides starting in July. Since the trial period operated smoothly and no negative feedback from the public was received, the measure demonstrates considerable acceptability. Therefore, the “Hidden Number Incoming Call Voice Alert” service will be fully activated starting July 1.
Source: KOCPC Chinese