How to find out who called from an unknown number
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In this article we will talk about how to identify an unknown number, and then decide what to do with it - call back or blacklist it.
Which operator are they calling from: are the first digits of the number informative today?
Once upon a time, by the first digits of the number you could immediately find out which mobile operator was calling from. Of course, this is not some kind of super-awareness of an incoming call, but at least something useful. Today even this is not so simple. Firstly, operators have not one or two codes, but much more, and all because the number of subscribers has increased significantly, and, for example, for smartphones, support for two SIM cards has long become the norm.
Secondly, additional uncertainty is introduced by the transfer service - Mobile Number Portability (MNP). It allows you to “leave” to another operator while fully retaining your existing number. Accordingly, the first digits (code) are no longer an exact identifier. We cannot know whether a person has used the MNP service or not. Thus, the code is only information about the subscriber’s original (first) mobile operator and nothing more.
True, you need to understand that the popularity of number porting differs in different countries and largely depends on how long it has been available to subscribers. Let’s say that in the UK and Poland it appeared back in the “zero” years (in 2003 and 2006, respectively), so millions of people have used it (and many have already used it several times). Ukraine introduced MNP quite late - in 2019, so the relevance of codes for identifying an operator is probably still significantly higher. And for reference, you can give this data:
| Operator | First digits of the number |
|---|---|
| Kyivstar | 067, 068, 077, 096, 097, 098 |
| Vodafone Ukraine | 050, 066, 075, 095, 099 |
| Lifecell | 063, 073, 093 |
| Intertelecom | 020, 089, 094 |
| PEOPLEnet | 092 |
But it is worth considering that even knowledge of the telecom operator does not give a complete idea of who exactly called, plus there are also codes of different cities (for landline numbers), other countries, multi-channel line 0800, etc.
The most obvious way: answer or call back an unknown number
The simplest way to determine who is calling from an unknown number is to answer the call or call back. Even if this is your personal contact (not for work), it is advisable to accept the call if you are expecting one, for example if you recently:
- placed an order in an online store;
- made an appointment for a haircut, a doctor’s appointment, or some other event;
- posted posts on advertisement sites, etc.
If you are not expecting a call, then, of course, you can reset it. But there is still a chance that someone important is calling from an unknown number, for example:
- your loved one’s phone ran out and he borrowed a mobile phone from his friend or colleague;
- your relative, friend, etc. changed number;
- you forgot about signing up for some services, buying tickets, ordering on the Internet, and this is a reminder or confirmation.
A useful number can be saved in contacts, and then the likelihood of new unknown calls will be lower. And if suddenly, this is intrusive marketing - just say that you are not interested, you are busy, or even silently hang up. For repeated calls, you can simply block this subscriber and he will no longer bother you.
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| If you suspect that the calling number is spam or a scam, then block it. |
Auto calls have also become quite common; when answered, your number is added to the database of active contacts. This data can then be used for marketing and so-called cold selling purposes.
- an attempt to find out payment card details (provided by bank employees);
- stories about problems with children or loved ones (for example, being detained by the police);
- pseudo-purchases on online classifieds services, like OLX.
In any of these situations, the main thing is not to panic, not to fall for the tricks of scammers (not to provide your personal data and not to transfer money anywhere), end the conversation and block the contact. Additionally, it is advisable to notify law enforcement authorities about the incident. There is also another purpose of telephone fraud - an attempt to “steal” your number (through a SIM card replacement). But today, this type of deception can be eliminated by a service from mobile operators that links to the user’s passport data.
Method number 1: check in a search engine
The first option for checking an unknown number can be to collect information about it on Google or another search engine. Simply enter it in the search bar and you will receive all the data about its mention. Let’s say if it was an online store where you recently placed an order (but forgot about it), then in the results the link to this site will be the first (or in the TOP of results).
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| Google will find everything, including information about the phone number. |
The same applies to various services (barbershops, beauty salons, catering establishments with home delivery, private clinics). Yes, it may be that Google will be the first to show you not a link to the branded website of a sushi bar or spa, but various online directories, sites with reviews, portals with business data (entrepreneur registration) with a mention of the owner of the number.
Why is there not always an official website? Often it is written there with hyphens and with brackets, like (0хх)-ххх-хх-хх, to make it easier to remember and enter it on the phone. But in the search bar, the easiest way is to indicate it together - as a set of numbers. And by the way, if there are no or few results, then you can try different formats for entering the number in Google.
The search engine provides information not only about popular companies, but also about many private owners of an unknown number (including representatives of call centers and even potential scammers). These could be links to forums, profiles on social networks, and other online platforms, which we will talk about in more detail.
Method number 2: register in messenger
You can quickly check an unknown number using Viber. The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- copy the number from the phone book;
- go to Viber;
- go to the “Calls” tab;
- at the top of the screen, click on the icon for adding a new contact (a person with a plus sign);
- insert the unknown number and click “Done”;
- if this user is in Viber, then the photo and name that are indicated in the messenger will be immediately shown;
- All that remains is to either save the contact or cancel the actions.
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| You can find out the name and see the user’s photo in the messenger. |
You will probably identify a relative or friend in this way. If this is an account of a company, then most likely you will also receive more detailed information, or at least the name in the messenger will match the brand.
You can similarly check the number in WhatsApp, and the process is similar: you need to go to the “Calls” section and select the “Add new contact” icon. But with Telegram, the same approach will only work when searching for companies: many private users in this messenger prefer to hide their phone number in the privacy settings.
By the way, if there is no unknown number in either Viber or WhatsApp, then this is an additional reason not to call the subscriber back. But if you have an account, but the name and/or photo are uninformative (or missing), then it is advisable to connect other verification methods.
Method number 3: use specialized sites
Did the previous methods fail? This means that it is best to seek help from specialized services. When you don’t want to install any additional applications on your smartphone, a good option is to go to specialized sites a la telephone directories, which are a database of numbers with information about them from other people.
There are both international specialized web resources, like Scanner, and similar projects in different countries. Let’s say in Ukraine it is “Telephone Dovidnyk” (https://www.telefonnyjdovidnyk.com.ua), and in Poland it is Nieznany numer (https://www.nieznany-numer.pl/). For the last two resources, searching for information does not even require prior registration. It is enough to indicate an unknown number, and if it is in the database, reviews and the average status rating from 5 available options will be available:
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| On the Telephony Dovidnik website, users evaluate the status of numbers and leave comments. |
- useful number;
- safe;
- neutral (incomprehensible);
- bothersome;
- dangerous.
So, if marketers or scammers called you, then with a high degree of probability this number will be assigned one of the last two statuses, and, logically, you should not call it back. Sometimes on these sites you can also find quite detailed reviews, for example, about private repairmen or employers.
Method number 4: install a specialized application, for example, Getcontact or Truecaller
In addition to specialized sites for checking unknown numbers, various mobile applications are now offered. Probably the most popular are GetContact and Truecaller, because they probably have the most impressive number base. These two applications are similar in functionality, and the capabilities can be expanded with a paid subscription (and ads can be removed, of which there are many). Basic options with phone number verification are available for free - just go to the App Store or Google Play and download to your smartphone.
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| Using applications like Getcontact, you can check the number against a huge database. |
GetContact and Truecaller help you identify spammers and scammers, blacklist them, and even filter relevant incoming calls. They also allow you to get acquainted with the trust rating of numbers and find out how you are subscribed to other people, however, by default, these users also have a similar opportunity in relation to you. Plus, when using such applications, you de facto agree to the transfer of data from your phone book to a common database. Partly because of this, in some countries the use of the application is limited, because it violates their data privacy requirements.
In general, there are many other similar services available. Among them are Call Insider (works on the basis of the previously mentioned “Telephone Inspector”), CallApp, NumBuster, TrapCall, Whoscall, etc.
How to find out who called from a hidden number
It is a little more difficult to identify the person calling when a call comes from a hidden number. In such a situation, the user cannot immediately perform the check. But this is not at all a hopeless case. Each mobile operator has a call detailing service for the past day, week or even month. As a rule, it is either completely free or very inexpensive, and to save money, for example, you can order a list of calls only for the required time period.
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| Call details from the operator will shed light on hidden numbers. |
If suddenly the detailing does not produce results, then, for example, the main Ukrainian telecom operators have another additional service that declassifies hidden calls:
- for Kyivstar it is “Super Caller Identifier” (cost of use is 3 UAH per day);
- Lifecell has a Hidden Number Identifier (50 UAH for 30 days);
- Vodafone Ukraine also has “Super Caller Identifier” (connection costs 107 UAH, day of use – 1.07 UAH).
And when instead of the inscription “number hidden” the usual set of numbers is already available, you can use any of the above identification methods.
Let's sum it up
Today, anyone can play it safe and protect themselves from annoying spam or tricks of scammers when calling from unknown numbers. In addition to actually answering the call and then entering data about the caller into your phone book, we talked about 4 simple working methods. You don’t have to limit yourself to just one of them; the above tools can be successfully combined.
Probably, if calls from unknown numbers are received infrequently, then it will be more convenient to use a regular search, then, if necessary, connect a check in instant messengers and/or specialized sites. If you often deal with questionable calls, you can install a special application like GetContact. Here you will almost certainly find information about the number, because its database contains several billion entries. True, the application is replete with advertising, and you have to pay extra to turn it off. Plus, by downloading GetContact or Truecaller, you actually agree that your phone book also adds to the general number base.
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