Patent ID: 7266185

Claim:
A method of performing a return-call operation to a caller's private number so as not to reveal the private number to a called party, the method comprising: receiving at a call management system a call from a caller, the call intended for a user; receiving signaling information, including a phone number associated with the caller; determining whether the phone number is a private phone number based on the signaling information; when the phone number is a private phone number, causing a display message to be presented to the user, the display message notifying the user of the call, wherein the display message does not include the private phone number; storing the private phone number in computer readable memory, wherein the user is prevented from viewing the phone number in an unencrypted form; and enabling the user to return the call to the private phone number without revealing the private phone number using a call bridging operation performed by the call management system, to thereby prevent the caller's private phone number from appearing on a telephone bill of the user as a result of the return call.