Billions of people own a phone, the majority of whom are active online. Unsurprisingly, spam and scam calls are on the rise from people who choose to use technology negatively. If you own a phone, you must have received a phone call from an unknown number a few times before. Sometimes, the calls are from friends, colleagues, and family members who lost your contact, but other times they are scammers.
At other times, it could be someone who accidentally dialed the wrong number. You can use a spam-blocking app to block unknown numbers as soon as the calls enter, especially if the calls aren’t incessant. If you don’t want to do that, a better option is to find out who called you using third-party sites like WhoCallMe. Here is a comprehensive guide to finding out who called you from this number, including the various methods available.
What to Do When You Miss a Call from an Unknown Number
What is the first thing you do when you find a missed call from an unknown number? Let’s take a wild guess: you stare at the number for a while, wondering who it is, and then you call them. Or, you are one of the few that ignore the call with the notion that the person will call back if it’s important. But what is the best decision in this scenario: returning the call or not?
There are many reasons why returning that call may be a terrible idea. The one that stands out the most is that the caller could be a scammer. Their goal for calling was to see if your line was active so that they could dupe you – or at least try. Even if their scamming attempt fails, they know your number is active; therefore, they’ll keep trying.
Moreover, calling back an unknown number will likely cost you connection fees in some cases. This is especially so if you don’t know or it isn’t clear that the phone number is not from your country. The best option if you miss a call from an unknown number is to know who is calling first.
You can use a phone lookup service like WhoCallMe to know who called you from this phone number. From there, you can decide whether to call the number back, block it, or even report it to the Federal Trade Commission.
How to Identify An Unknown Caller with a Reverse Phone Lookup
You can use several methods to find out who called you from an unknown number. One of the methods is simply punching the number into a search engine, say on Google, and pressing “search.” However, this method does not always yield the desired result, as any attempt to identify the caller becomes a maze. The best and most effective method is using a reverse phone number lookup website to learn more about who called you.
There are legitimate reverse phone lookup services online, one of the best being WhoCallMe. These services allow you to access myriads of information linked to a contact, including the owner’s name and address. They are a much better option for finding the true identity of your caller than search engines that will leave you confused.
How Do Phone Number Lookup Services Work?
Phone number lookup services are call services that allow you to search for and access information linked to any contact. WhoCallMe, for instance, has a huge database filled with millions of records culled from public records and online sources. They are legitimate because they do not hack into a secure database to get information. What they provide is publicly available and accessible information about individuals, which is why they can supply more than names.
How to Use Phone Number Lookup Services to Find Out Who Called You
Each phone number lookup tool has its method of operation, with some being more user-friendly than others. However, most of them follow a similar pattern, starting with you providing the digits of the phone number. After that, locate the “search” button or icon and click on it, and the search will start. Then, you can sift the results to find the precise information you need.
Some phone lookup services, like WhoCallMe, also let you find a caller’s information using their area code. There is already a list of area codes on its page Phone Number Directory; you can locate the appropriate one and search.
What Sort of Information Can You Find on Phone Number Lookup Services?
The information you can find on phone number lookup services is vast and goes beyond just the caller’s first and last name. You can use this service to determine if your caller is truly who they say they are. Apart from the caller’s name, you can also find the names of their friends and relatives – or whoever they’re associated with. Also, you can find the caller’s email addresses and physical addresses (including work and residential ones).
Other information you can obtain includes their social media profiles, businesses associated with the contact, and the caller’s online activity. You will get those if there are alternative numbers, which will most likely be linked to their email address. The point of all this information is to help you figure out if you’ve had previous contact with the caller.
What If the Caller ID is Spoofed?
If you can use technology to find out who called you, know that scammers can also use technology against you. One of the ways they can do that is by spoofing their phone numbers. The goal is to trick you into thinking the phone number is from your town, making you more curious.
If you see “US Govt.” on the screen, there is a good chance it is not the United States government. It is most likely a scammer trying to impersonate government officials or trusted sources from your bank. If you suspect that the caller is a scammer, note the number somewhere and report it to the FTC.
Conclusion
You might want to wait before calling back when you find a missed call from an unknown number on your phone screen. You don’t want to make yourself a target for scammers, nor do you want to lose a vital sponsorship deal. Legitimate phone lookup tools like WhoCallMe are undoubtedly your best option for finding out who called you from this phone number.
