Are you frustrated with spam calls or telemarketers calling you so frequently? Well, you can stop worrying because you can easily find out who an unknown caller is through various methods such as entering some feature codes like *57, *77 or *69, multiple third-party apps, social media platforms and various other methods and solutions that we will be discussing in this article.
When we get frequent calls from unknown callers, we automatically build a curiosity to find out who the caller would be but more than that we also have to ensure our safety and security so that we don’t fall in the trap of spam calls or hackers. Thus, unmasking the caller’s identity can be the first step in the fight against these unwanted callers.
In this article, you will come across all the aspects of knowing exactly how to find out who an unknown caller is with various methods.
First and foremost, let us understand how these unwanted callers are able to hide their phone numbers.
How Do Callers Hide Their Phone Number?
Spoofing
Spoofing is a cybercrime in which a Caller ID lets you see the wrong information and pretend to be someone else sometimes by using a famous brand’s name or number. A fake number will be displayed on your screen due to which you may pick up the call accidentally.
Caller ID blocking
There are a few phone service providers that allow the user to block their identity while calling. Thus, they may call you without revealing their identity. Sometimes it is also displayed as a ‘Private Number’ on the screen of your mobile phone and the phone number may not be visible to you.
Third-party or mediator apps
There are a few apps that work as mediator apps in this process. They allow the users to call anonymously or with fake numbers. They use their technology to hide the user’s real number or name and instead, display the fake numbers.
Let us now move on to our main concern, which is how to find out who an unknown caller is by discussing the following methods:
How to Find Out an Unknown Caller’s Number: [Full Guide]
Dialing free or paid feature codes method:
*69 (usually free)
Just after a suspicious call, you can dial *69 on your phone which will activate last-call return service. This will help you identify the details of the last caller’s number but you have to keep in mind that the details will only be available if they are listed in a public database.
How to use this feature?
Step 1: Dial *69 on your keypad.
Step 2: In some cases, the process is auto-activated but if not, you can press the call button after dialing *69.
Step 3: A computerized recording will let you know all the available information related to the previous Caller ID.
*57 (usually paid)
In the case of threatening, violence or harassment from unknown calls, you dial *57 on your phone in order to alert your service provider about such calls.
How to use this feature?
Step 1: Dial *57 on your keypad.
Step 2: In some cases, the process is auto-activated but if not, you can press the call button after dialing *57.
Step 3: Follow the instructions given by voice recording and the traced information will be immediately sent to your service provider together with recording of the call.
Other than dialing the codes on the phone, there are a few other options or methods that may help you find details about unknown callers.
Use a third-party app or service
There are some apps or services that may help in collecting information from public databases, social media platforms or other available sources.
1. Sokeo
Sokeo is a public website that allows you to search for people. They collect data through offline and online sources and give you information accordingly. They help you by giving details about the caller’s name, address, social media and many other available information.
According to reviews, even in serious cases like threatening or harassment, it has helped people in finding out the caller’s address and name.It may also help people uniting with old friends or acquaintances.
2. TrueCaller
TrueCaller is an app that maintains a crowdsourced list of phone numbers and other information of the callers.
You can easily identify the address and name of the caller through this app while just looking for the phone number of the incoming call in your call log.
You also apply automatic spam blocking which automatically identifies robot calls, fraud or telemarketers and keeps you safer.
3. TrapCall
TrapCall is an app which protects you against unwanted calls by redirecting those callers to their servers.
The app also has features like unmasking the identity of blocked calls, blocking of annoying telemarketer or scam calls and also allow you to record the incoming calls.
How does TrapCall work?
How can I find the name of a caller by number?
Now that you are aware of various apps and services that can help you with the identity of the caller, a question may pop up in your mind: how to find an unknown number’s name?
Though the above apps and website can help you with finding the name of a caller but we also have several other simple and free methods to know the name of the caller:
1. Search engines
There are a number of search engines like bing or google that may help you find the name of the caller in just a few seconds. You can simply paste the number on the search bar and see the available results for it.
2. Social Media Platforms
Social Media Platforms may also help in searching the name of a person by using a phone number but it is only applicable for the people who allow the visibility of their phone numbers to the public. Some people prefer hiding their details like phone number or email id from the public.
Some of the famous social media platforms for this purpose may include Facebook and Linkedin where you just have to put the phone number on the search bar.
3. Free Online Directories and Databases:
There are a number of free online directories and databases with the help of which you can easily search a person’s name by phone number.
For example, AnyWho and Whitepages where you have to visit the website, click on the ‘Reverse phone lookup’ tab and wait for the results available.
Contact Your Phone Company to Trace Unknown Number:
Despite the help with apps, websites or other methods, if you feel you are not satisfied and want to take strict actions against the spam caller then, you can also contact your phone company or service provider directly.
For example, if you have dialed the feature codes on your phone or tried finding a caller’s identity by an app but still cannot find it, then you can contact your service provider directly and inquire them about their call tracking policies. They may also tell you how the spam caller was able to hide his identity and remain anonymous.
Before agreeing to their services, one thing that you should ask them is the cost of their services because every company’s call tracking services charge a specific price depending on the service.
Report Scam Calls to the FTC
FTP or Federal Trade Commission is a United States government agency that has certain consumer protection laws in order to prevent unfair business practices and scams or fraud. If you wish to take further legal action against a scam call and are unable to trace the details of the caller, then you can also take help from FTC.
By doing this, you are also helping them back in tracing people who harass or threaten common innocent people. FTC can easily investigate and catch the scammers even if they are anonymously hidden. They can also help with phone spoofing and internet scams.
How to report a scam case to the FTC?
Though in India, we do not have FTC or an exact alternative for FTC but we have similar agencies or government websites that have the same functions. Such as:
Cyber Crime Helpline Number: 1930.
FAQs – Find Out Who An Unknown Caller
Why is it important to find out who an unknown caller is?
We have to ensure our safety and security so that we don’t fall into the trap of spam calls or hackers. Thus, unmasking the caller’s identity can be the first step in the fight against these unwanted callers.
What are the risks associated with unknown callers?
The risks associated with unknown callers are that they can be robocalls, scammers or telemarketers and if you answer them, they may steal your data, hack your device, steal your identity and much more.
Are there legal considerations when trying to identify unknown callers?
There are a number of legal considerations when trying to identify unknown callers such as feature codes, multiple third-party apps or services, directly contacting customer services or filing complaints against scammers to the FTC or other alternative government agencies.
What is *77 on the phone?
Dialling *77 may help you by sending an automated recording to those who have blocked the display of their name and phone number that you are not accepting blocked calls. If they are genuine callers then, they will unblock their Caller ID and call you back.
How do I call back a no-caller ID?
Dialling *69 is one of the best ways to call back the previous private or blocked number that called you. It will unmask the call’s phone number and you can call him back.
Conclusion – Find Out Who An Unknown Caller
To sum-up our discussion, we came to know that there are multiple risks of answering spam calls because they can be robocalls, scammers or telemarketers and if you answer them, they may steal your data, hack your device, steal your identity and much more but we have learnt how to find out who an unknown caller is.
We also have various methods to catch these unknown and unwanted scammers and prevent any mishap such as feature codes, multiple third-party apps or services, directly contacting customer services, phone number lookup services or filing complaints against scammers to FTC or other alternative government agencies.
Thus, uncovering the caller’s identity can actually benefit us in so many ways. We can prevent scams, frauds or hacking by taking all the above preventive measures which means if we have problems, we also have their cures and our safety is right in our hands but we just need to be alert.
