# Whose number is this ? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 2, 2017, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241 "2017-03-02T22:43:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SUZ\_MAC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@SUZ\_MAC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SUZ_MAC)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/1 "2017-03-02T22:43:25Z")
I’m looking for a free and reliable website to use when I receive an unknown call from my cell phone. I want to be able to type the number in and find out who it is and see what others are saying about receiving a phone call from that particular number. Suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/2 "2017-03-02T22:47:07Z")
Google ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/3 "2017-03-02T22:48:40Z")
Got it in one. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/4 "2017-03-02T22:52:48Z")
I have an app called Truecaller which will tell you if an incoming call has been flagged by others as Spam. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/5 "2017-03-02T22:54:59Z")
I use CallControl app on my phone. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/6 "2017-03-02T23:15:24Z")
As uncomfortable as it makes me to be so firmly in Google’s clutches, my Nexus 6P’s phone program apparently automatically accesses some kind of callspam clearing house (obviously owned by Google) and flags suspicious phone numbers automatically. Reliably, actually. Of course, I also just don’t answer calls from numbers I don’t know, but the confirmation (and the option in the phone app to blacklist the number) is nice to have. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/7 "2017-03-02T23:58:40Z")
Yeah, Google works pretty well if it’s a number others are talking about. If it’s not a number, such as an illegal telemarketer, that’s being talked about and you want to see who it is, [spydialer.com](http://spydialer.com) works pretty well. IME, if spydialer doesn’t give you a name, no other free site will either. It also let’s you listen to voicemail (sometimes) without the other person’s phone ringing. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/8 "2017-03-03T00:05:26Z")
Google, 800notes, Whitepages (phone search) all work pretty well for me. I use Hiya (app) on my phone that pulls up the name as well as automatically blocking known junk calls. Also, keep in mind if you’re looking up numbers that you don’t know because you suspect they’re junk, it’s extremely common for collection agencies and other businesses to grab recently given up phone numbers in your area code and use those numbers. If you google it, it may come up as a local cell/land line, it may even have a name attached to it, but it may still be someone trying to sell you an extended car warranty. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/9 "2017-03-03T01:07:59Z")
Yeah, just a quick Google search will bring up data if it’s there… A business name, or a scam listing, or whatever. As noted, it can be imperfect but it’s fast and useful. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/10 "2017-03-03T13:25:08Z")
Lots of scammers are just using fake numbers. As a matter of technology the number you see on your phone’s screen is NOT where the call is coming from. It’s actually where the call is coming from _unless the caller has taken the extra step to supply a false number instead._ Which standard robo-dialing software can easily do at no extra cost. I’ve moved out of state and still have my old cell number in my old area code. As do many people these days: [xkcd: Cell Number](https://xkcd.com/1129/) . The vast majority of telemarketing calls appear to be from my old area code and first 3 digits. They just randomly pick the last four in hopes I’ll assume the call is from somebody nearby that I really ought to answer. Having moved away, so substantially nobody real from back there ever has any reason to call me, has really highlighted how much this tactic is used nowadays. My wife’s cell number is similar to mine, just a few digits higher. Often my phone will ring with a fake call from the same first 6 digits and some random set of last four digits. 5 seconds later my wife’s phone will ring with a call from the same first 6 digits and a different random last 4. Clearly their machine is just dialing each real number in our area in sequence and supplying a different fake number for each call. Googling (or using any other service or database) to check on any of these fake numbers would not be informative. Some are disconnected, others belong to other cellphone users in that area. None of that info points to the scammer. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/11 "2017-03-03T14:25:07Z")
Whose number is this? 6.02 × 10[sup]23[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/12 "2017-03-03T15:28:57Z")
Avocado’s. Now just guac away, slowly. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/13 "2017-03-03T15:31:32Z")
This is a new low for the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/14 "2017-03-03T17:39:51Z")
I’m pathologically private about my cell number. I explain this when I give it to a friend. I block caller ID. For my doctor, mechanic, etc I usually give my work number. If I get a call and it’s not from a contact, I just block the number preemptively. ---
**Author:** ![SUZ\_MAC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@SUZ\_MAC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SUZ_MAC)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-number-is-this/781241/15 "2017-03-03T18:48:37Z")
Lots of good information and a very informative post from LSL Guy. That makes complete sense now. Thanks.