We all know it’s best to ignore unknown phone calls. But if you’re curious about who’s behind those “unknown” or “private” numbers—or if you want to put an end to the harassment—this article will show you how to run a cell phone number lookup and discover who owns the number.

Methods to try

💡 Quick Reminder

Determining whether a phone number is worth your time and effort to research is important before trying the methods below—spam calls and telemarketers are usually not. The best approach when dealing with these types of calls is to block and ignore them.

Free methods

Free methods have their limitations and problems in their ways, and they could take you some time. If you need further information about the caller, we suggest you use paid people search tools to get a detailed report quickly.

Method 1 Google search

Working region: Global

If you’ve already searched for the phone number on Google, you can move on to the next method. If you haven’t done any searches, I suggest running a quick Google search first. It might immediately provide some answers.

In addition to simply copying and pasting the phone number into Google, for example, “(123) 456-7890,” some users recommend trying variations of the phone number like “(123)-456-7890,” “1234567890”, and “4567890” to see if Google returns any results. You can also try searching the 7-digit number along with the state, such as “456-7890 Texas,” to see if that provides any clues.

Google usually shows the most relevant results, which can help you determine whether the number is linked to a spam call that’s been reported or who the owner might be. This method is especially effective for finding information on organizations and business phone numbers.

However, sometimes Google may not return any useful results, or you might get a list of irrelevant links that have nothing to do with the phone number. Don’t worry, you’re not alone, you can move to the next method and try.

Method 2 Caller ID name search

Working region: Canada, United States

Caller ID services can display the name associated with a phone number on devices when receiving a phone call, helping you decide whether to answer. However, sometimes the phone number doesn’t come with a caller ID. To identify who owns a phone number, a caller ID name search is a free and quick option to try.

Some third-party websites integrate information from phone carriers to provide a Caller ID name lookup service, allowing you to look up the caller ID of a number (usually the name of the number owner).
Here are two sites you can try, both free and without requiring registration:

1. CallerIDTest.com
   Note that this site has a daily limit of 5 free lookups.
2. FreeCallerLookup.com
   This site only works for US phone numbers and provides only the caller’s name.

Because these sites rely on third-party providers and CNAM databases can take days to update, they may provide outdated or inaccurate information. Additionally, callers can also intentionally hide their phone numbers, making it impossible to find the name through a Caller ID search. So don’t worry when you fail with the caller ID name search, try the next method.

Method 3 Free phone number lookup websites

Working region: United States

For unknown US phone numbers, reverse phone lookup services can help identify the owner. While many free reverse phone lookup tools are available online, we have screened 4 free phone number lookup sites and provided a brief introduction for you to choose from.  

• Truecaller: Requires registration. The web version limits you to 2 free searches per day and provides one result, including the name, possible address, and line type. It also offers spam alerts. 
• Whitepages: No registration is needed; offers 2 free searches per day on the web version. Charges for additional searches. It provides one result, including the name, location, and phone carrier information. For further details, you’ll be redirected to a subscription service.
• Spydialer: No registration is needed, but the site is ad-heavy. It provides one result and has a spam lookup feature. However, it doesn’t give results directly, requiring multiple clicks to view the owner’s name and possible location. For further details, you’ll be redirected to paid people search tools.
• TruePeopleSearch: No registration is needed. Provides multiple results with detailed information. The page layout is clear and easy to navigate. If you want to view background reports, you’ll be redirected to paid people search tools.

During our tests, we found that these sites provided different answers for the same phone number, and some sites occasionally failed to provide any information. All 4 sites require payment if you tend to view further information. What’s more, some users indicated free sites may collect and misuse your data for profit.

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However, some users have reported success with these tools. With the mixed reviews, you may need to make your own judgment.

Alternatively, you might try your luck with the next method or paid people search tools.

Method 4 Use apps you already have 

Working region: Global

Many apps require a phone number to register. So if you have the following apps on your phone, you can search with the phone number to see if it has an account associated with it.

• Cash apps: Cash App and Venmo allow you to send money to others using their phone numbers if they are registered on these platforms. You can enter the phone number, and the app may display the person’s name (just be sure not to add or send money to the account). Since cash apps may differ from region, it’s better to try the most popular one in your region.
  
• WhatsApp: This popular messaging app lets you search for a phone number and view the person’s profile photo if the number is registered. Although it doesn’t show with the owner’s name, you may tell who it is through the profile picture.
  
• Social Media Apps: If you have a burner phone, you can try “contact exploitation” for free. Add the target number to your contacts and use a burner Facebook, Instagram, or other social media accounts to see what friends are recommended based on your contacts. Social networking apps like Instagram access your contacts and display related users, but only if the number has been used to create an account.

Paid people search tool

Working region: United States

Paid people search tools generally offer an advantage over free options by not only identifying possible phone number owners but also providing a wealth of related details drawn from various public sources. These services often access a broader range of data, including some paid government sources, which can result in more detailed and expansive information. Additionally, paid tools tend to be more efficient, safer, and better at protecting your privacy. They might also offer a higher likelihood of finding the phone number owner along with valuable background information.

What you can get:

Paid people search tools utilize larger and more diverse databases, supported by advanced matching mechanisms. To offer more clues, they try to list all possible owners associated with the number, usually prioritizing those with a stronger connection.

Beyond the basics like name, line type, and possible address, these tools can provide a personal report that might include possible criminal and traffic records, social media accounts, and even assets. This additional information could offer valuable hints in your search.

In addition to reverse phone number lookups, paid services typically allow you to further investigate using the information provided in the report, such as email, name, or address searches.

Editor’s choice: BeenVerified

After testing several mainstream brands in the market, including BeenVerified, TruthFinder, Intelius, Instant Checkmate, Spokeo, and Social Catfish, we found that BeenVerified stands out as the best overall choice for several reasons:

	BeenVerified	Spokeo	Intelius	TruthFinder	Social Catfish	Instant Checkmate
Editor’s Rating
Spam alert
Search Options	Phone number , name, username, address, email, vehicle and more	Phone number, name, username, address, and email	Phone number, name, username, address, email and more	Phone number, name, username, address, email and more	Phone number, name, username, address, email, and image	Phone number, name, address, email, and more
Loading Speed
Customer service	24/7 live chat
Safety	DigiCert SSL certified	TrustedSite certified	Rated A+ by the BBB	Rated A+ by the BBB		Rated A+ by the BBB
Review	Rated 3.3 on Trustpilot	Rated 2.6 on Trustpilot	Rated 2.5 on Trustpilot	Rated 1.7 on Trustpilot	Rated 4.2 on Trustpilot	Rated 2.1 on Trustpilot
Possible owner name
Contact Info	Phone number(s), Email(s), Address(es)	Phone number(s), Email(s), Address(es)	Phone number(s), Email(s), Address(es)	Phone number(s), Email(s), Address(es)	Phone number(s), Email(s), Address(es)	Phone number(s), Email(s), Address(es)
Personal Photos
Profession & Education
Social Media	55+	120+	55+	50+	140+	50+
Legal Records	Traffic violations, Sex offenses, Misdemeanors & felonies	Traffic violations, Sex offenses, Criminal records	Traffic violations, Sex offenses, Marriage & Divorce Records, Nationwide court records, Misdemeanors & felonies	Traffic violations, Sex offenses, Marriage & Divorce Records, Nationwide court records, Misdemeanors & felonies		Traffic violations, Sex offenses, Marriage & Divorce Records, Nationwide court records, Misdemeanors & felonies
Financial Records	Properties & Assets, Bankruptcies, Liens, Judgments		Properties & Assets, Bankruptcies, Liens, Judgments	Properties & Assets, Bankruptcies, Liens, Judgments, Foreclosures, Evictions, UCC fillings		Properties & Assets, Bankruptcies, Liens, Judgments, Evictions, UCC fillings
Info Change Monitor
Subscription	• $ 29.99 / month $ 19.49 / month for three-month package	$ 19.95 / month • $ 14.95 / month for three-month package	$ 23.99 / month • $ 19.19 / month for three-month package	Phone Number Lookup $ 4.99 /month Email Lookup • $ 29.73 / month People Search • $ 28.05 / month • $ 23.28 / month for two-month package	Social Search $ 5.73 / three-day trial • $ 27.48 / month Image Search $ 6.87 / three-day trial • $ 28.97 / month Hire a Specialist • $ 397 for one time	• $ 5.99 / month for phone reports • $ 35.12 / month for person reports $ 28.09 / month for person reports of three-month package

Click to Search >>

During our tests, BeenVerified consistently provided more possible owners than other tools. We tested the same phone number across 6 people search tools and found that BeenVerified returned 6 possible owners, whereas the others could only provide two or even just one. This increases the chances of finding the right match.

BeenVerified enhances your search experience by providing spam alerts when looking up a phone number. For example, when we tested a known scam number, BeenVerified was the only tool that clearly flagged it as spam in the report. The report also included the number of complaints registered by real users, along with a comment section where people shared their experiences with the number.

BeenVerified’s reports offer a wider range of sections compared to other tools, including a deceased status feature that indicates if someone has passed away, along with details such as the date of death, age, and location when available. This feature can help users terminate searches, avoiding unnecessary continued searching and saving time and effort. Additionally, their reports are well-structured, offering various types of information that might provide useful clues. 

We highly recommend BeenVerified due to its 24/7 live chat support. Having access to responsive customer service can significantly enhance your experience, helping you make better use of the tool and providing reassurance throughout your search.

Many products offer trial periods but often automatically enroll users into monthly subscriptions, leading to numerous complaints. However, after reviewing hundreds of user comments, we found that BeenVerified received fewer complaints in 2023 and 2024, with more supportive responses from their team. Users have reported that customer support is prompt and helpful when processing refund requests.

BeenVerified Apps are available on Google Play and App Store.

Unlock Unlimited Reports >>

Why I can’t find the owner of the phone number

It can be frustrating when you can’t find the information you need after trying various methods. After ruling out typing errors, here are some reasons why this might happen:

• Unlisted numbers: Cell phone numbers are often not included in public directories, especially if the number is new and hasn’t been indexed yet. It takes time for databases to collect and add new information.
• Limited database access: Most free services don’t have access to detailed databases. Even reputable paid services might not cover all available databases, which could exclude the phone number you’re searching for.
• Privacy laws: The individual you’re trying to locate may be protected by state-specific privacy laws that limit the availability of public information.
• Opt-out options: The owner may have chosen to opt-out of public records, making their information unavailable online.
• VOIP or burner numbers: These types of numbers are designed to offer more anonymity, making them harder to trace through standard people search tools. And it’s hard to tell whether a phone number is VOIP or Burner. Some reverse phone number lookup tools would offer their judgment result but are for reference only.

Conclusion

While it’s possible to find information about a phone number’s owner using free tools, these methods are often limited. For more detailed information, free options often require significant time and effort, a paid people search tool is recommended to save you time and effort. Although no tool can guarantee 100% accuracy, paid services generally provide more comprehensive reports that can offer valuable clues for further investigation. What’s more, always remember to use these tools responsibly, respecting privacy laws and understanding the limitations of the data provided.