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How to do a Successful Reverse Phone Lookup

By Staff Reporter | Update Date: Oct 24, 2020 10:06 AM EDT
How to do a Successful Reverse Phone Lookup

(Photo : How to do a Successful Reverse Phone Lookup)

Getting multiple, repeat calls from an unknown number can be unsettling. Why is it happening? There are many reasons. A survey company might want you to reply to some questions. Telemarketers are hawking a new service or product. The worst options: a scammer has gotten his hands on your number and wants to get more personal data from you or your family, or someone is stalking you. 

When we get calls from weird numbers, we always want to know who's on the other end of the line. You can enter a number in Check People or a similar reverse phone lookup service, social media, Google, White Pages, or a mobile app. How reliable is each of these options? Read on to find out. 

Is There Such a Thing as Free Phone Lookup? 

It's almost impossible to get a free phone lookup today. According to CBS News, Facebook is one of the best ways to look up a phone number. Arguably, that's hardly a surprise considering how many data breaches the network has made possible. 

In this case, their lacking privacy protection will work to your advantage. If the user's number is associated with their profile, they will appear at the top of the list after you type in the number in the search box and press 'enter.' You don't have to be friends with them, and their privacy settings don't matter. 

Google Search 

A simple Google search is highly recommended. If the number belongs to a company, the search will yield the company's website or other websites listing this company's data, like directories. If someone has used this number to bother or scam people, you might unearth forums with posts complaining about it. 

You might not get exact data about the caller, but some general information will probably be available, such as the time zone or country where the calls are made. You can add a dedicated Chrome extension to your browser to alleviate your search. 

Reverse Phone Lookup Sites 

Phone lookup sites are a dime a dozen, but do they work? They are very simple to use; simply enter the number and click 'Lookup.' Many of these sites are good at retrieving the personal data of mysterious callers. However, they might state the data is unpublished. White Pages sometimes works, but it's no panacea. 

Many reverse phone lookup sites will work for cell phone and landline numbers, although the former is harder to identify. If the information is accessible, they'll provide the full name of the owner, their address, and where they registered the number. 

Mobile Apps 

With cell phones, you usually want to detect or block a number as you get the call. The apps Whoscall and Truecaller, compatible with iOS and Android, could help identify the caller. Whoscall has an instant caller ID service. It's helpful because it allows you to react to an unwanted call in a rational way. You can also block unwanted text messages and calls. Truecaller offers access to information about photos, ratings, and reviews on the internet related to the number. 

Final Phone Lookup Tips 

Never return calls from unknown numbers; scammers might trick you into paying a huge toll fee. People in the US lost a total of $25 million in spam calls in 2017. 

The tools mentioned in this article can help you identify callers and take measures depending on the situation. This might mean blocking a telemarketer's number or checking to see if you're dealing with a stalker. In the worst case, contact the authorities. 

It's always best to have two different numbers, one for work and one for personal use. Be very careful when responding to mysterious calls to your personal number.  

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* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of counselheal.com

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