Has an unknown number been harassing you with calls, and would you like to find out who it is? There are many ways to find out who owns a phone number, including using call platforms like WhoCallMe. If the number has called more than once, you would wonder who it could be. After all, for the person to have called several times, it could mean they have something important to tell you.
However, a missed call from an unknown number could also mean a dedicated scammer looking for their next victim. By calling them back, you might invariably be letting them know you are ripe for the picking. Therefore, you might want to know who is calling you before you return the call. In this article, you will find effective methods for discovering your unknown caller’s identity, among other things.
How to Find Out Who Called You
No matter how technologically aware you are, you can still be a victim of cyber fraud. Therefore, your best bet is to be cautious; take the pain to confirm your caller’s identity before you engage them. Below are some of the easy ways to find out who called you from an unknown phone number:
Use Google to Identify Unknown Callers
You can search for the number on Google; the search will provide available information relating to the number. Also, if it is a scam number, you will find it on several online lists of previously reported scam numbers. Google search is free and does not take time, so you won’t lose anything even if this doesn’t work.
Use a Reverse Phone Number Lookup Tool
Reverse phone number lookup tools are the best and most effective means of finding out who called you. While Google can offer you different kinds of information, it is designed for something other than phone number searches. As such, the results will be lacking and, more often than not, unhelpful. Alternatively, phone lookup services are specifically designed to dig out the information linked to a number.
WhoCallMe is an excellent example of a phone number lookup tool to get the answer to who called me from this number. WhoCallMe has a large database containing millions to billions of records that are publicly available online, so it is not illegal; all WhoCallMe does is search on your behalf. When you check an unknown number that called you on WhoCallMe, its system algorithms will scan its records for all associated information.
You can find the caller’s name, residential address, work address, email address, and associated companions from the search. However, your search may bring little information; this is usually an indication that the caller ID is spoofed. Scammers often spoof caller IDs (that is, change the real number to a different one) to make a call. If you can’t find sufficient information about the number, it is likely a scam; simply block or report it.
Check Out Your Voicemail
Let the call go straight to voicemail, whether there is a caller ID or not. Letting the call go to voicemail is much safer than picking up the call and asking who is calling. If the call is important, the caller will leave a voicemail indicating who they are and why they’re calling. Most spam calls and scammers will not leave voicemails, so there is no reason to call them back.
Why Should You Find Out Who Called You from an Unkown Phone Number
A phone call from an unknown number might look harmless, but picking up a call from an unknown number could open a floodgate to many heartaches. Moreover, these scammers know how to spin their story to fool an unsuspecting individual and, unfortunately, this same technology helps them do it. Here are some of the most common phone scam schemes these people use;
Protect the Olders from Scam Calls
Older adults are particularly vulnerable to scam calls, mainly because many of them still don’t understand how technology works. Also, many elderlies use archaic landline phone numbers, which are pretty easy to find and abuse. A trick the caller may use is that they are a law enforcement officer holding their grandchild who needs bail money.
Before you panic or send the money, drop the call, call the law enforcement entity, and confirm the information. Better still, call your grandchild, their parents, or anyone in custody to know the call’s legitimacy. Or you can use WhoCallMe; you’ll find the caller’s true identity by checking out the full list of US area codes on its website.
Find Out Government Official Scams
They can claim to be a government official, say an official from the Social Security Administration or Internal Revenue Service. They will use this claim to demand some immediate payment, adding a subtle threat of Social Security number suspension.
That threat works on those who don’t know that no government official will call you regarding any kind of payment. However, if you are bothered, hang up the call first and call the government agency to confirm before you wire your hard-earned money.
Check Out Scam Texts
Scam text messages are just as common as calls and they tend to be more subtle. If you receive a text message from an unknown number, especially if there is a link, ignore it. Do not click the link, and don’t leave the message lying around; delete it immediately. Clicking the link may launch malware on your phone, which can be used to hack into any account linked to that number.
Conclusion
Phone calls can seem harmless – after all, you won’t be giving out sensitive information. However, picking up a call from an unknown number can put you at risk; you could become a target for cybercrime. Leave the call to end instead; then, do a quick search to find out who called you. You can do this by Googling the number, dialing *69, or, better still, running a reverse search on call platforms like WhoCallMe.
