How to Identify the Owner of a Phone Number

1

Messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, can help you check your phone number. After adding the contact to your phone’s address book, you can use messengers to find out some information about the person who called.

You can even use caller ID apps to look up the phone number. You can also call the cell phone directly and try to get information about who is calling.

Below, see more details on how to find out who a cell phone number belongs to.

1. Use WhatsApp to find out whose phone number it is

WhatsApp can help you find out who the phone number belongs to, but this depends on the cell phone owner’s privacy settings. Then, add the contact to your phone’s address book – even if it is an international number – to try to start a new conversation in the app with the unknown number.

If the app identifies the cell phone number, the profile photo and name must be displayed if the person has left this data public. Commercial profiles can provide the address and other forms of contact (website, email and social networks).

If WhatsApp does not recognize the number registered in your address book, the app will suggest that you send an invitation to the contact. This means that the cell phone owner does not use the Meta messenger.

2. Identify the phone number via Telegram

Telegram can be a tool to try to find out whose phone number it belongs to, but this depends on the cell phone owner’s privacy settings. After registering the number in your phone’s address book, access the “Contacts” area in the messaging application.

If the number is associated with a messenger account, it will be displayed in your contact list. Then, open the conversation and tap the person’s name in the top corner of the screen to see more data.

If the number is not registered on Telegram, it will not appear in the contact list. In this case, there is no way to find out more information about the owner of the phone.

3. Download applications that identify calls on your phone

truecaller

Caller ID apps like Truecaller and Whoscall can help you discover an unknown number. Both are available for free for Android and iPhone. Both operate in a similar way, identifying calls and private SMS messages, have options to block calls from unwanted numbers and are able to stop billing contact attempts, prank calls, scams and calls from telemarketing agencies.

They can also identify the carriers the numbers belong to, helping to save a few bucks.

These apps use a database to know where the phone is from and who it is associated with, even if you haven’t registered the contact in your phonebook. Furthermore, the software can block SPAM calls and detect numbers used in possible fraud.

4. Looking up the number on a search engine

Look for the number on Google, Bing and other search services. Users and businesses often disclose their contact numbers for a variety of reasons, and they may end up being indexed. If this is the case, the search can return very accurate data, from names/business names to even physical addresses.

Alternatively, it is possible to use search services linked to the Deep Web, as they are more specialized and carry out deeper research. However, you need to take certain precautions before accessing the darkest corners of the internet.

5. Call to find out who owns a phone number

You can also call the contact to try to find out the owner of a cell phone number if no other way is effective. If the other person answers, ask where the phone is from and other information that may not be easy to identify.

It is worth saying that this method may not be as effective and safe. For example, the person may not answer the call, refuse to provide information or provide false information. Furthermore, unknown numbers can be bait for scams.

6. Searching the number on social networks

This method is complementary to the previous one. If the search on Google and co. does not bear fruit, a search on Twitter, Facebook and other social networks may have more luck. This course of action is most successful when the caller is an individual, as many people tend to link their numbers to their profile via the app.

If the person has made their number public, Facebook will associate a profile with that number and show that person in the search result. Alternatively, search as follows: “my number #phone number#”. It is normal to see people exchanging numbers this way in public posts or for friends (when they change their cell phone), but less common when it comes to companies. Still, it might work.

7. Searching the number in public directories

If the mobile number is linked to a company, it is possible that it has been included on commercial public directory sites. It doesn’t hurt to try your luck on such services, with area code included.

Contrary to what happens when searching on social networks, this method will only work if the number has been linked to a legal entity, that is, a company, and even then, the chances are higher when the number is fixed. In any case, such sites do not maintain lists of cell phone numbers of natural persons, or individuals.

Is there a website that allows you to find out a person’s data by number?

Websites cannot disclose personal data based on a telephone number due to data protection legislation.

Is it possible to know a person’s name from their landline number?

Official platforms for searching landline numbers do not reveal personal data about telephone line holders. This is a protocol also used by telephone operators due to data protection legislation.

Can you find out which company owns a phone number?

Yes, the “Which Company Called Me” service helps you find out the name of a company over the phone. The platform created by Anatel has a large database with telephone numbers linked to legal entities.

You can obtain this information by accessing the website and entering the number that called you. Then, the platform reveals the Company Name and CNPJ of the company associated with the searched phone number.

Is it possible to know which state or country a phone number is from?

Yes. National and international prefixes are used to identify which region, state or country they belong to, as in the examples below:

  • DDD (Direct Distance Dialing): prefix used to identify the state or region where the number was registered. Example: 11 (São Paulo), 21 (Rio de Janeiro), 31 (Belo Horizonte), 41 (Curitiba) and 51 (Porto Alegre);
  • DDI (International Direct Dialing): prefix used to identify the country of origin of the cell phone number and make an international call. Example: +55 (Brazil), +1 (United States and Canada), +54 (Argentina), +44 (England), +81 (Japan), +234 (Nigeria) and +86 (China).

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here