Who Keeps Calling Me? 5 Tips on How to Trace a Phone Number
It happens to all of us. A mysterious phone number pops up on our cell phone, but never leaves a message. It can be rather frustrating or even intimidating when it happens over and over again. Learn how to trace a phone number and identify who or what is calling you so you can decide whether to pick up or block them.
Do you have random numbers that keep calling you? Do you answer the phone out of anxiety but then quickly hang up when you find it’s a robot or telemarketer?
You’re not alone. With technology, these robo or sales calls are plaguing more and more Americans.
When they happen, you always think, but what if it’s an important call? If it was important, they’d leave you a voicemail.
Want to know who keeps annoying you or if it’s worth answering the phone? Learn how to trace a phone number below.
How to Trace a Phone Number: Strategy 1
The easiest way to figure out if you’re getting a call from a real number is to look at the area code. Even if your phone number is from an old address, you know the area code where you live.
If it’s not a number with a nearby area code, don’t pick up. Toll-free numbers have special area codes – though you can’t catch them all the time.
Do not answer calls starting with 800, 866, or anything starting with an 8 followed by repetitive numbers.
Strategy 2: Reverse Lookup
Let’s say you’re sitting at home using your computer with your phone next to you (where else?). You get an incoming call and don’t recognize the number.
The solution is easy. Go to a site like GoLookUp on your computer and type in the number from your phone.
The site pulls information from the internet and may find personal information – if it is, in fact, a person calling.
It’s like using a phone book, but it’s filed the other way around!
Strategy 3: Google It
If the first two steps didn’t work, you can try googling the number. There are forums online where people list fake or robo-call numbers to warn others.
Type in the phone number and robo-call or the number and telemarketer. Try different combinations like marketing sales call until you find one that works.
If someone’s been annoyed by them before, you’ll see it listed on a site.
It doesn’t always work on the first try. If nothing comes up, try typing the number in different formats, like with hyphens or parentheses around the area code.
Strategy 4: Ignore It
The best way to figure out if a number is real or not? Don’t answer. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message or call back.
Strategy 5: Check Facebook
If you suspect it’s someone you know calling, type the number into the Facebook search bar. Facebook keeps a lot of information about its users, including their phone numbers.
Them showing up depends on their privacy settings, but not everyone thinks to lock those up. If you put in a phone number and it pops up with one Facebook profile, you have your answer.
Do Not Call Lists
Unfortunately, registering yourself on donotcall.gov doesn’t always do the trick. There are people that don’t care if you’re on the list and others who don’t bother to check.
If you’re getting selected for random calls, don’t pick up the phone. That way your phone will seem inactive and they’ll stop calling back.
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