Are you getting annoying calls from an unfamiliar number? Do you need to look up a who is calling you? While the number of scam calls vary every day, phone protection companies are often flagging millions of scam calls daily! Yeesh.
Thankfully, there are ways to find out who owns a mobile phone number, some methods are easy, some not so much. The good news is, you can try any of these methods by simply going online.
In this article, I'll share with you eight possible ways to search online for who is calling your cell phone.
1. Facebook
Did you realize that you can look for an individual on Facebook by entering a phone number? By entering a phone number on the Facebook search bar, you may be able to find the profile of the person to which the number belongs to.
To do this, simply login to your Facebook account and enter in the phone number in question in Facebook search bar. If the phone number is associated with an account, that account will pull up. Additionally, if the phone number was ever shared in a Facebook post, that post will pop up as well too.
Unfortunately, most people have changed their privacy settings so that people can’t find them on Facebook that way or they don’t add their number to their profile at all. Some people don’t want other people to find a cell phone number on their profile, and that’s why they keep this information private.
A problem to consider when searching for phone numbers through social media:
It is not guaranteed that you will get the most up to date, accurate data and that person may not have that number anymore. According to Telesign, phone number recycling can be problematic. Phone number recycling is where a phone number inactive for around 90 days is reassigned to new customers, allowing companies to reuse unused resources. However, this practice can sometimes lead to privacy and security concerns. For example, the new owners of recycled numbers may receive calls or messages intended for the previous owner, which can be confusing or even breach their privacy. So, using a method like Facebook that often does not have up-to-date information can be risky.
2. Answering The Phone or Calling Back
Regardless of what the circumstance is, it's never a good idea to answer an unknown phone number or call back on your cell phone. IIf your phone call is from a scammer or stalker, picking up the phone may put you in a dangerous situation. If it’s important, they will leave a voicemail.
Here are a few reasons that you should
never pick up the phone when you are not sure
whose number is calling:
- It could be a scammer who has perfected the art of being a con artist.
- It may be a telemarketer, and if you pick up they know your number is an active one and they will put it on their list.
- It could be an ex or someone who is fixated on you and wants to hear your voice.
- It could be a predator seeking a victim to prey on.
- It could be from a one-ring phone scam.
It’s safe to say that it's not the best idea to answer an unknown call because you never know who is on the other end.
SEE RELATED ARTICLE: 7 Easy Ways To Get Someone's Cell Number Online
3. Using A Reverse Phone Search To Find Cell Phone Numbers
Reverse phone search websites like National Cellular Directory are perfect for anyone because they specialize in people searching and finding cell phones numbers.
They offer 100% confidentiality when searching for a number and are far more convenient than playing guessing games with social media and search engines.
What is a reverse phone search?
A reverse phone lookup allows you to retrieve available information about an unknown caller simply by entering their phone number. This process involves searching through a vast database of phone numbers to identify the person or organization behind the call. By conducting a reverse phone lookup, you can get access to a wide range of details such as the caller's name, address, email, and social media profiles. This information can be instrumental in helping you to determine the legitimacy of the call and make informed decisions about how to respond.
National Cellular Directory’s reverse phone lookup service is a safe and dependable way to protect yourself from unwanted calls and potential scams and stay informed on who is calling
Use The Toolbox Below To Perform A Reverse Phone Lookup Now!
Another amazing benefit to creating a free membership with National Cellular Directory is that they have a Happy Hour every day where you can do two premium cell phone searches for free of charge! That means that you can find the most recent and accurate information about a phone number at no cost to you!
Follow These steps to get a free people search:
- Create an account on the National Cellular Director.y
- Follow the National Cellular Directory on Facebook or Twitter. They tweet (and post on FB) the next Happy Hour start and end time.
- Run their free people search and get the answer you are looking for!
It’s that simple! And the best part is, you get to do it every day if you need to! Doing a reverse phone search will get you the name, address, city, state, other phone numbers that belong to an owner if available.
4. How to Use Google to Find Cell Phone Numbers
Google used to have a phonebook service, but it was taken down when people started wanting their information removed from the service. Therefore, Google isn’t the best choice for someone to look up another person’s number.
Even on the off-chance that Google has any information in regards to who has been calling you, it may not be reliable or up to date. I know it’s simple to lookup a phone number on Google. It’s certainly worth a try. However, don’t get your hopes up as it is more than likely that you won’t find any current owner information on the phone number n question.
5. Research The Area Code
Did you know that a phone number's area code can provide valuable information about the caller? For instance, it can indicate their location and the intention behind the call. It's worth noting that calls from foreign area codes are often made by scammers trying to deceive people. Therefore, being aware of the area code of an incoming call can help you avoid falling prey to fraudulent schemes.
Toll-Free numbers like 800 or 844 are usually telemarketers. Always beware of toll-free numbers and calls coming from outside of the US. Also look at this list from Reader’s Digest to see some of the international area codes that are unsafe.
Additionally, the area code will give insight into where someone lives. In the illustration below, you can see that 5.7 million cell phone numbers start with 917. If you look up that area code from a cell phone number, you will discover that the caller lives in New York City.
6. 800notes.com
This phone number database is built by its users. People share information on a call they receive. If other people have received a call from the number contacting you, they can report it on the website for you to view later.
This method will only work if the number is calling other people and at least one other person has reported the number to you.
Additionally, even if they report the number they might not have any more information than you already have on the number.
7. Reddit's "r/WhoCalledMe" Subreddit
Reddit's r/WhoCalledMe subreddit or similar online forums allow users to share experiences and collaborate in identifying unknown callers.
Some online forums, such as forums found on Reddit, allow users to post unknown phone numbers and share their experiences from these phone numbers with others, as long as they follow the guidelines.
If you're looking to identify unknown callers, joining online communities can be helpful. These groups allow you to connect with others who have had similar experiences and can provide valuable insights and knowledge.
8. Whitepages
Whitepages claims to be free, but after it compiled my report, the website asked me to pay for the phone number owner information found on the number I provided.
It did not offer me the name, or even address of the person who owned the number. Something it did offer me for free was that it was a low-risk number and the general area of the owner’s location. I knew at that point that the number I searched was low risk, so that information was valuable. However, any other information that I wanted I had to pay for.
What’s The Best Choice?
There you have it, National Cellular Directory’s - Free Cell Phone Directory Happy Hour is the best way to search for who is calling you.
National Cellular Directory’s Happy Hour is one of the best ways to find out who is calling you for free.