Phone guard for locking out long-distance calls

{PG,1 A telephone lock for attachment to a telephone permits a user to dial local calls only with a first predetermined number of digits. Upon lifting a receiver/speaker from a cradle connected to the telephone lock, a counting device counts the first number of digits. A ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on the lock is advanced from an initial position by a first preset angle against the action of a spring by a ratchet wheel advancement device, following dialing of one of the predetermined number of digits. A first dialing stop device restrains the user from dialing at least one of the digits on a dialing device for reaching the operator on an initial dialing, and a second dialing device restrains the user from dialing an additional number of digits, when the ratchet wheel has advanced from the initial position by a second preset angle. When the receiver/speaker has been replaced on the cradle, the dialing device is reset to a starting position.