Are you constantly receiving calls from unfamiliar numbers? These unexpected and unwanted calls can be annoying for many people, as they can be marketing calls but also potentially scam calls.
Usually, if you are feeling annoyed, you can choose not to answer, block the number, or report the call as spam. However, in some cases, you may want to determine who the caller is to take further action.
In the following article by journalist Tashreef Shareef, who has many years of experience in the computer and cybersecurity field, they will show you how to find out who is on the other end of the phone using the services of third parties and the internet.
1. Internet search tools
One easy way to find and block spam calls is to enter the unfamiliar phone number that called your phone into search engines such as Google. Some websites gather information about scam and spam phone numbers reported by individual users through community pages.
When you enter the phone number into the search box, Google will gather data from websites on the internet to try to find any trace of that phone number, especially from the above-mentioned data storage websites. Google will also display any associated social media or user profiles (publicly available) linked to the phone number you are searching for.
2. Reverse phone lookup websites
Reverse phone lookup websites usually have access to larger databases than search engines. They retrieve data from publicly available records, white pages, yellow pages, and social media databases.
However, some paid phone lookup services may even exploit data from the dark web and the profiles of business partners. That is why free phone lookup services do not always provide the desired results.
Therefore, when using a reverse phone lookup service, you should pay attention to the data they require you to provide. For example, if you are asked to register your phone number, name, and other information, your information might also be used for further searches by others through the service.
Here are some free reverse phone lookup websites to help you identify unknown callers:
SpyDialer
This is a free reverse lookup website that uses publicly available data to search for detailed information about the caller. SpyDialer does not require you to register to use the service; you only need to enter the phone number you want to search and click “Search”.
Next, you select a search option. For example, if you choose “Listen to Voicemail”, the service will dial the phone number you entered and record the voicemail greeting. Usually, the voicemail box may include the caller’s name and some other details. You can also choose to search by name or search for images.
ZLookup
ZLookup is also a free reverse phone lookup website and does not require you to register to use the service. The website searches for phone numbers based on its own data or through other sources to find matching results.
Whitepages
Whitepages is not just a reverse phone lookup service, but also a platform that allows you to search for contact information based on name or address.
In Vietnam, since 2020, the Whitepages service no longer discloses personal information of the phone number owner due to digital privacy concerns, but the website still displays information about businesses using that phone number, as well as the number of recent searches and reports of scams/nuisance calls.
3. Caller identification apps
Caller identification apps like TrueCaller can help you identify unknown callers, such as their name or location. Although this app can sometimes be a double-edged sword, it makes identifying unknown callers easy.
The app also has features for reporting spam and automatically blocking spam calls/messages.
If it’s just a spam or marketing call, you can block unwanted calls by adding the unfamiliar phone number to your block list or contact your telecom service provider to block the number.
4. Contact your network service provider
You can contact your network service provider to try to find detailed information about the caller. However, this is a complicated process due to legal obligations that protect the personal information of service subscribers. It is likely that they will only accept requests from law enforcement agencies.
According to Tổ quốc
