Want to know who a phone number is registered to? There are a few options open for you to do that without stress. If it is a traditional listed landline number, you can easily look in an online reverse phone lookup directory. This directory matches a phone number to its owner and often an address. These phone number lookup directories include some cellphone numbers also. You also have another option which is searching through search engines and social media for the number you want. Most importantly, you have to understand that the caller ID information can be forged.
Who’s This Number Registered To?
Most of the new cell phones and voice over internet protocol phones, are unlisted. Now this was not the case years ago when most people used landline phones. Then people had their numbers automatically published in the local phone book. There were reverse directories, that had listings organized by phone number or address rather than name, were also available by special order at public libraries. Currently, most phone companies usually won’t share the names of their customers without permission.
However, you can still search the digital versions of reverse phone directories for a number you are interested in finding. Some of the popular phone number search tools includes Whitepages, Zabasearch and Pipl. If you can’t locate the number you are looking for through a particular tool, you can try another in case it has a different set of numbers in its database.
Social Media Search – How to Find Out Who a Telephone Number is Registered To
Social media is another tool you can use to search for a phone number. On some social sites, you are allowed to search for someone using phone number. You can also find a phone number if a person or business has included it in a post. To use social media in searching out a phone number:
- You can simply type the phone number into the search box on a social networking site or app.
- Check what people or posts pops up.
- If there’s any, it may mention who the phone number belongs to.
However, you have to understand that the information you find on social sites may be outdated or misleading. As such, it may not reflect who currently owns the number.
Using a Search Engine – How to Find Out Who a Telephone Number is Registered To
The next option is using a search engine:
- Type the phone number into a general-purpose search engine like Google or Bing.
- This will enable you see if anyone has published information about who owns the number or if it appears on a business page.
- You may also want to try typing the number in several different formats. Including the area code in parenthesis and with it separated from the rest of the number by hyphens.
Just like on social networking sites, remember that information you find about the phone number may be inaccurate, misleading or simply outdated.
How to Handle Harassment and Scams
In a situation where you have received unwanted phone calls from a particular number you can:
- Ask your phone carrier to block that number.
- You can ask your phone carrier to configure your phone to block calls from the number.
- If you suspect a number that is calling or texting you to buy something to be scam, you can report the situation to the Federal Trade Commission.
- It is best not to interact with the person or machine calling you because it may lead to getting more phone calls.
- In case you think a crime is being committed (i.e.) if you are receiving harassing or threatening phone calls, you should consider contacting your local police.
You have to understand that caller ID information can be forged. As such, the number that pops up on your phone screen may not be the actual number someone is calling from.
Be very careful of returning calls coming from numbers you do not know. Because they may be part of a scam which will result in having to pay high long-distance charges if you happen to return the call.
