While it is very simple to obtain all types of information on calls from national fixed numbers, the discourse of mobile numbers is different. This is because for fixed numbers there are lists such as the White Pages, the classic volume of numbers that reaches us at home and which is also available for online consultation. If we wish to obtain information on an unknown cell phone number, we can use one of the lists for cell phone numbers or one of the dedicated search services, available thanks to the increasingly frequent use of the cell phone number within messaging services. and social. In most cases it will be lists created by the users themselves, which indicate the numbers from which the advertisements come and which therefore help to keep the black list of unwanted numbers.
The only sure way to know who called us with a number that we don't have in the phonebook would be to call him back; alternatively we can search for that number on the Internet using one of the sites or tricks listed below, so we can know in advance if it's worth calling back.
How to identify cell phone number
All the methods and reported below are legal, given that the number is provided by the user himself within the services or public lists; with a little luck we will always find precise information on the unknown number who contacted us without the need to call back.Check the number on Facebook
If a person accesses Facebook using his number and if this is visible in his publicly shared information, it is possible to search for the number by going to the Facebook search bar (after logging in with our account) and entering the unknown number, so as to find out which account it is associated with.
This search method is really effective because, by default, the phone number you register on Facebook is visible to everyone. So if someone called us who registered the number on Facebook, we could also find his name and surname from the social network.
About the search on Facebook, it is also possible to automate the recognition of the mobile number of the caller using the app called Facebook Hello which recognizes all the numbers of the caller .
Check the number on WhatsApp or similar apps
WhatsApp is the most used app on all smartphones and requires the phone number to manage the account and make yourself available to friends; however, the number is also visible to strangers, as long as they view our number at least once! So if we receive a call from a number we don't know, just add it to the phone 's address book and then check in WhatsApp if this number is associated with a face, a nickname or a name.
The only thing that can prevent recognition from WhatsApp is the modification of a precise setting from the privacy settings of the app, which allows you to show the profile picture not to everyone, but only to personal contacts. However it may be, we can always contact this number via WhatsApp if we don't feel like phoning, to find out who it is. In addition to WhatsApp we can carry out the same search using Facebook Messenger, Skype or Telegram.
Check the number on Google
Searching for the owner of a mobile number on Google can certainly work if this number belongs to a call center, a professional or a commercial company.
Google search can lead to the information sheet of the company or freelancer with which the number is associated (especially if it has a VAT number or an individual company) or to reports from other people made on specialized forums (as we will see in the next chapter).
If the unknown phone number has been around for some time, we will certainly find references to it on the Internet, just check on Google at the right time.
Google allows, in the latest versions of Android for Pixel and for Android One, to immediately obtain information on the calling number, using the same information visible from the Web: when we receive a call from a number not present in the address book but present on Google, it will appear in the dialer directly the name of the company or business, so you can always choose whether to reply or not.
To integrate this type of recognition, simply install the Google Phone app on our Android smartphone (to install this app on some smartphones you need to download the APK file compatible with your smartphone from APKMirror)
Other sites or apps to find phone numbers
In addition to the methods seen so far, we can search for a mobile or landline number on one of the sites listed below:- Tellows, on site with a dedicated forum where anyone can report the most annoying phone numbers, so as to make them recognizable on the site or through a specific blocking app for Android and iOS.
- Truecaller : this site works very well, but it is effective especially with calls from landlines from registered stores and businesses rather than private phone numbers. Truecaller can be installed as a control and blocking app on Android and iOS.
- Dive3000 or 1254: These are two websites that also provide a phone book with cell phone numbers. Dive3000 requires registration with Facebook account while Chichiama is direct. Both are services similar to Tellows, that is powered by the users themselves who report the most recurring and annoying commercial call numbers.
- Who's calling? is another indexing service based on user opinions, very useful to track down the numbers of call centers or paid services, in particular those who call continuously at all hours. Again we can install the app for Android and filter calls automatically.
- Jamino: mandatory subscription service where you can find a complete list of mobile phone numbers, indexed by the various services and information sharing sites.
- Whooming: service dedicated to the display of anonymous calls' mobile number, also available as an app for Android and iOS. We can learn more about this by reading our guide on how to find out the number of anonymous calls .
- PagineGialle: if the phone number belongs to a professional or a company, we can find it within the PagineGialle, available as a website and as an app for Android and iOS.
Conclusions
As we understood from reading this guide, a mobile phone number can be combined with a precise name and surname, in particular if the user has already used this number on some online services or to access some messaging apps or social networks. . If the user is very cautious and has avoided entering the number on the web, it could be very difficult to trace the identity of the caller.If the phone number that you contact us is a landline number, we have seen in another article which are the best lists to find the address and name from the phone number .
If we receive calls from commercial telephone numbers, even if they are not included in the lists, we can intervene by reading our guides on how to block unwanted commercial calls on landlines and mobile phones and how to avoid advertising calls on mobile phones .
