How Do I Look Up a Phone Number for Free? | Whitepages Blog

How Do I Look Up a Phone Number for Free?

Stay Connected FAQ February 16, 2023
person holding a cell phone

author:

How Do I Look Up a Phone Number for Free?

I’m receiving calls from unknown numbers. How can I look up a phone number for free?

Receiving excessive calls from spam and unknown callers on your cell phone can be daunting and annoying. With the availability of apps that can block calls that have been identified as spam, you can cut down on that nuisance. But perhaps you are receiving calls from people that you need to contact. Being able to identify the person behind the call can be incredibly helpful. If you are looking for a person’s phone number, we have a handy guide for that!

When searching for a phone number, there are a few different resources available for you. Yes, you can Google it. This may reveal if the number is coming from a business or a personal number, but it is more likely that you will get unintelligible lists of subsequent phone numbers. It is better to use a free Reverse Phone Lookup option. Whitepages searches over 260 million phone numbers to help you identify who may be calling. 

You can simply type the phone number into the Reverse Phone search box. If the number is included in Public Records, you will be able to learn the owner’s name and other details. The search results will also tell you if the number is spam or if there is a risk of fraud. 

Whether you answer or not, it is possible that the person associated with that number isn’t the person actually calling you. It may be a scammer using phone spoofing. Usually, people calling you that you don’t know with the same area code as you are scammers using a technique called “neighbor spoofing”. This is a way for scammers to get valuable information from you while appearing like someone you could trust. A Google or Reverse Phone search won’t yield many results. It is best to not answer these calls.

What if the number is private? Do I have to pay?

For some private or mobile numbers, Whitepages Premium allows you to do a one-time search for a fee. If you need more extensive information about the person calling you, and it isn’t a scammer, Whitepages Premium goes a step further. With Whitepages Premium you can buy a membership that can include information such as criminal records, in-depth contact information, and more. 

Safety is always a concern when answering an unknown call. If you have any hesitation about the number calling you, do not answer it. Letting the call go to voicemail can save you potential scams and spam.