In today's world of information, misinformation, identity theft and mass telemarketing, the cell phone number has become almost as precious as a social security number. The days of pranksters calling and anonymously asking if you have Prince Albert in a box are over. Society has become an open book to the world through the Internet and your cell phone number is becoming one of the few areas of privacy that is still yours.

With all of the crafty telemarketers that have been slowed down by the National-Do-Not-Call law, your cell phone number is becoming a target for many companies trying to skirt the law. All they have to do is figure out a way for you to willingly give them permission to call and you are badgered for the next six months with repeated calls that are annoying and costly. You may insist that only your friends and family have your cell phone number but if you think really hard, you have given it out to others.

The Internet is a favorite place for predators to convince you into giving out information. Signing up for a contest, coupons, playing games or information on a new product often ask for personal information that you give little thought to. Think again! All of this information goes into a database for a specific reason and is used for the company's advantage. They may even sell your information to others for a fee and make their money in this manner.

Your home address is common knowledge as is your age and other information that is held in public records but your cell phone number is not published anywhere without your consent. The easiest way to pinpoint an unwanted number that shows up on your cell phone is by using reverse phone lookup and calling the number to ask who they are and what their business is. Next, remind them that you have not given your permission to call and to cease calling immediately. They must comply with your wishes or face a stiff fine from the FCC if you file a complaint.

Perhaps you have given out your cell phone number to a friend that has turned into a stalker and your cell phone has turned into a way of harassment for them. There is a way to block these calls so you are not bothered with the constant ringing of your phone. Call your cell phone provider and request line block. This only works for blocking a particular number and if your harasser calls from another number this plan may not work so well. Get into the habit of letting unfamiliar numbers roll over to your voice mail and return if it is someone you wish to speak with. Use reverse phone lookup if no message is left or you do not want them calling again and wish to use your new blocking feature.

Each time that you make a phone call to a business or to someone that you do not want storing your phone number, hit *67 before dialing their number. This will block your phone number to the person on the other end and prevent them from having your phone number for reference. You can use this option on a call-to-call basis or your cell phone provider can place on your phone permanently at your request. To remove the service, simply hit *87.

The Internet is an entertaining place for your children to visit fact-finding sites, talk with their friends or play games. Many of these areas require personal information to be entered before allowing access. This can be difficult to control if your child sees no harm in providing the site with your information, including your cell phone number. It is important to stress to children that your cell phone number is not for the world to have but is a personal possession just like a driver's license.

There are now Cellular Privacy Manager programs available through cell phone providers that can stop unwanted phone calls, unwanted SMS messages and the ability to reject private callers but these systems take some work in setting up. The largest benefit to these systems is the ability to block calls that appear as unknown or any series of 800 numbers. These rejected calls can be sent to voice mail or busy signals so you will not be bothered with repeated calls. You can also set up your system so only those numbers appearing in your address book are allowed to ring your number with success. If you wish to save unidentified numbers and check with reverse phone lookup in case it is someone you wish to add, you can do this also.

Always set up your cell phone number with the National Do-Not-Call program. Don't wait for the phone calls to begin because it takes 31 days for this program to become activated. If there is a way for a telemarketing company to find your cell phone number you could be bothered for the next month. The service is free and there is hardly ever a reason why someone would want to receive telemarketing calls from someone that they do not know. You may receive some calls from political survey takers or fund raising companies because they are exempt from the Do-Not-Call law but politely explain that you would like to be removed from their call list and they must adhere to your wishes.

We live in a different world with information being so freely available but by using caution, reverse phone lookup and explaining the importance of your cell phone number to family members, your cell phone number can stay free of annoying calls and remain a great way of communication for you.