Between telemarketers, scams, and marketing companies trying to sell you products, consumers are cautious about answering their phones to numbers they don’t know. Even if a number seems local or residential, you’re less likely to answer the call if you don’t have the number saved as a contact. Added to the fact that public phone directories are virtually impossible to access online, it makes things tricky
Before you try to locate a phone number, it’s essential to consider the search methods available to you. For example, should you have an individual’s name or other information, you’ll want a standard phone number search. On the other hand, if you have a telephone number called and you’re curious about who owns the number, you’d need a reverse number search.
How To Use A Reverse Number Search
If you’re trying to find out who keeps calling you, a reverse phone search may be just the answer. As databases continue to grow online, more phone numbers than ever before are connected to individuals or businesses online. As a result, websites specializing in reverse searches often have access to comprehensive lists, filtering through real-time. To get started, the only thing you’ll need is a reputable site online and the original phone number in question.
Background check websites are often highly reputable and successful in tracking down phone numbers, thanks to their ability to perform social media scans, registration data, and comprehensive web searches. Many of these websites do charge a fee for this service, but this option is most successful overall due to the complicated nature of the investigation.
Other Methods Of Reverse Search
If you’re trying to check who owns a phone number without paying for it, entering the phone number into a search engine brings results. Successful results are incredibly accurate for any phone number that has been used on a blog, website, business page, or public profile. Public profiles can include dating websites, job application websites, or even a people networking site.
In addition, numbers attached to businesses may pull the website or company profile in the results. If one search engine fails to provide results, consider trying multiple platforms. Search engines will index websites differently and may provide alternative results as a result.
How To Lookup A Phone Number With A Name
Search on Social Media Platforms
If you’re trying to find a friend’s phone number, one of the best places to look is on social media. Thousands of users have publicly posted their phone numbers on social media platforms, making it as simple as searching through the profile. This method is particularly beneficial with public profiles (users that don’t establish privacy settings).
Enter Information Into Search Engines
For publicly listed phone numbers, a first name, last name, city, and state may be all you need to find a phone number. Similar to phone books before technology took over, the internet can access public records like phone registries, often with limited information. These results will only work if they have a landline and have agreed to have their phone number publicly listed. Due to cell phone popularity, landlines are obsolete and may be difficult to access. Many cell phone numbers are not included in these results due to customer confidentiality.
Eliminating Unwanted Calls from Unknown Numbers
Many times, local phone numbers are used in phone dialer systems. These phone dialer systems will generate a local phone number for the state using VOIP calling. The majority of these phone numbers are not traceable and are linked to many scams and phishing attempts. If you have attempted to trace the phone number without success, this is likely the case.
Should a phone number continuously contact your landline or cell phone number, you have the ability to block the number. Many cell phones allow the blocking functionality in the contact or call log settings, preventing the number from contacting you again. Although this option does not provide the caller’s details, it does limit the continuous interruptions from unknown numbers.
Finally, you can always register your phone number with the ‘Do Not Call’ registries online. These registries will remove your number from popular telemarketing databases. It will also enforce compliance with companies with penalties, fines, and investigations. These registries are free to use and take between 30 to 60 days to update.
