Easy Way to call a private or anonymous number
Unknown numbers refer to phone numbers that you do not recognize, while private numbers have anonymous caller IDs. Remember that recalling private numbers is often difficult or impossible, and it may not be wise to do so. Exercise caution when answering calls from unknown numbers, only picking up if you have legitimate reasons to believe it may be someone you know.
How to know when to call a private number
If you receive a missed call that rings only once, it’s important to be cautious. This could be a tactic used by scammers, known as “one-ring scams,” where the intention is to trick you into calling back and potentially defraud you. If you notice a single ring and you don’t recognize the number, it’s generally advisable not to call it back. In most cases, if it was a legitimate caller, they would have left a voicemail or tried to reach you again. Telemarketers typically let the phone ring for a longer duration, usually at least four times or for about 15 seconds, before ending the call if unanswered.
Check the prefix. If the number is displayed, look for it online. Criminals call from countries with the same international code (+1) as the United States, so they look like national calls. However, if you look for numbers, you can identify them as foreigners by their prefix.
- A good rule of thumb is that if you don’t recognize the prefix, don’t answer.
- Many of these calls come from the Dominican Republic (809), Jamaica (876), the British Virgin Islands (284) and Grenada (473).
- Never answer numbers that start with 900, those numbers are paid.
- There are also online services that allow you to search for numbers. Search for “reverse lookup” or “find out who called you”.
Check a message. Someone who tries to call you for a serious matter will leave a phone message or contact you by other means. If you get a call from a number you don’t know or an anonymous number, it’s probably not important. Don’t call back!
- If they leave a message or the number called is an 800 number (free), go ahead and call them back.
- The crammers will never leave a message because they are operating with an extremely limited profit margin and cannot afford an international call.
Pay attention to charges on your phone bill. If you notice mysterious charges, in particular for something undefined, such as “special services” or “premium service”, on your phone bill, call your telephone operator and let them know that there are unauthorized charges. I generally repay you.
- If you have recalled an unknown number and found yourself listening to a recorded message, pay close attention to your phone bill. If you have called and found yourself listening to a recording of “adult services”, expect unauthorized charges.
- Don’t be embarrassed to ask your telephone company to refund you. Scam calls are a daily problem for them.
Call a private number for free with * 69 or # 69
The service is free and to activate it, just dial * 69 from a landline before another call arrives. On mobile phones, use # 69. After dialing the number, if a person answers, ask who’s talking.
The disadvantages of this approach depend on the telephone service provider. For example, some providers provide a computer-generated entry indicating the number along with the option to make a call. Other telephone providers call the private number and do not provide the number.
In addition, * 69 and # 69 do not work with all phones and some operators limit the time to activate the service 30 minutes after receiving the call.
How to recall a private number with reverse search
If you want to find information about a phone number, you can perform a reverse phone number search. You can enter the number into search engines like Google or use specialized services like Yellow Pages to gather information. This search can help you determine whether the number is associated with a mobile or landline phone and provide you with the registered location of the phone. However, it’s important to note that detailed information may not always be freely available, and in some cases, you may need to pay for more comprehensive results.
Check your telephone carrier’s call records
The telephone service provider keeps a record of incoming and outgoing calls. To access this list, log in to your account and enter your account password.
Sometimes private caller numbers are listed here, without masks. To find the number, check the phone log on your phone to find the time the anonymous call arrived. Then, look online at the call log, sometimes located in the invoice and usage menu, to match the date and time.
The duration of call recording varies depending on the telephone operator. Typically, these records are stored for one to seven years and can be used in criminal investigations.
Use an online service to recall a private number
How to call a private number – Whooming
The first service I suggest you try to call private number is Whooming. If you had never heard of it, you should know that it is a free online service that can also be used as a smartphone app through which you can identify private numbers using the call forwarding technique. In a nutshell, at the time of receiving a call with the anonymous, the call will simply be hung up and will be automatically diverted to the Whooming number, which in turn will identify the caller.
How to call a private number – WoozThat
Another service you can rely on to call a private number is WoozThat. This is a similar solution to the aforementioned Whooming that allows you to find out who has a certain anonymous number and therefore offers the possibility of being able to call back using the call forwarding technique. The service is completely free and allows you to track the number of calls instantly. The only “novelty” is that it only works with mobile telephony and can only be used via the appropriate app for Android and iOS.
TrueCaller (Web/Android/iOS/Windows Mobile) – This is a famous service that can also be used as a smartphone app that can count on a database of over 3 million numbers. It allows you to search for a phone number and easily find its owner. On mobile devices, it also reports to whom the reference number belongs during the call.
Sync.Me (Web/Android/iOS) – Another popular service that allows you to identify both fixed and mobile numbers with the advantage that the search is also performed among the information on social networks.
Who’s calling? (Android) – An online service with a rich database that allows you to find out who owns a specific phone number and that will prove useful for tracking calls with a private number. If used as an app, it also shows the caller ID and allows you to automatically block annoying phone calls.