Fraudulent schemes are increasingly prevalent and surging in number each year. According to data from the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost nearly 8.8 billion to them in 2022—a 30% jump from the previous year. Those aged 18-34 are affected by them more. However, scammers can target anyone, regardless of their age. So, remaining vigilant is essential if you want to avoid them.
Today, there are several helpful tools available for scam victims to mitigate risks. Reverse phone lookup services, in particular, can be invaluable when a phone number is involved. But how can you use them effectively, and what specific benefits can they garner? Let’s explore in more detail.
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What Is Reverse Phone Number Lookup?
This is when you search someone’s contact number to find out their name and other related information.
How does it work? Phone numbers can serve as unique identifiers, similar to names or social security numbers. It’s because mobile carriers only issue them to registered users.
And when there is a name attached to each legitimate number, it can create an interconnected data trail. Remember, names are linked to other personal information. For instance, there could be social media profiles, marriage certificates, mortgages, and a variety of other records connected to them. And when all this data is in digital format, you can retrieve what is publicly available with a single reverse number search.
Benefits of a Reverse Number Lookup for Scam Victims
Fraudsters are alarmingly adaptive. They will devise a deceptive scheme for every occasion. These malicious individuals can defraud you on a dating app, target you for an investment scam on social media, or phish for your personal information over the phone by impersonating the IRS. In many of these instances, scammers may provide you with a phone number or at least leave trails behind of one.
When you know you have encountered a scam, one of the first things you should do is take note of the phone number and run a reverse search. Here are the notable advantages of this practice.
● Verify information
Corroborating details is important for identifying fraudulent activities.
For example, in a dating app scam, a deceptive individual could share false information about themselves to lure you into a romance fraud. In such a situation, you could easily verify what they have told you with a reverse number lookup.
Reverse lookup services can provide a range of details about a number’s owner, from their first and last names to age, marital status, address, and workplace information. There should be no discrepancy between what you find and what the potential suitor has shared with you if the person you are dealing with is genuine.
● Uncover fraudulent individuals
Sometimes, you may meet people who come across as secretive or are deliberately hiding information. A reverse lookup could be all you need to find more details about them.
The depth of data you can uncover relating to a phone number will vary depending on the reverse search tool you use. Some can find financial information, including borrowings, mortgages, bankruptcies, and liens. Certain platforms may also cover criminal records, arrest warrants, and court cases when they are publicly accessible. All these make it easier for you to identify shady individuals and take extra precautions to remain safe.
● Identify stolen numbers
Criminals could spoof someone else’s contact number to launch a scam. This prevents you from tracking down the real culprit.
However, by reverse searching the phone number involved in the fraud, you can find its real owner, their location, social media profiles, and professional details. And if they turn out to be genuine, rest assured you have been contacted using a stolen number.
● Find out a number’s previous owner
At times, scammers could discard their phones to avoid getting traced. When you call them a few weeks or months later, you might find the number is disconnected or used by someone else.
But some number lookup services can help you trace not just a contact number’s current owner but past registered users as well. This allows you to identify a caller long after they have changed their number following a scam.
● Block dubious calls
Fraudsters can appear in numerous deceptive forms. Distinguishing them from genuine callers could be fairly tricky. But reverse number searches allow you to quickly identify malicious actors and block their numbers, putting an end to their harassing and deceptive advances.
● Search anonymously
Many number lookup services offer anonymous searches. This ensures your safety by shielding your identity and search queries from scammers and other criminals.
● Save time and money
Reverse search platforms are data aggregators that collect data from various public sources. They find, store, and organize information into detailed reports covering millions of phone numbers. This saves you the hassle and costs of searching for details from multiple sources.
Top 5 Number Lookup Platforms
Here are five reliable sites for a reverse phone number search.
- Whitepages
With records belonging to 260 million US phone numbers, this site serves over 30 million customers each month with reverse searches.
- US Search
Established in 1993, this is one of the most reputed sites for number lookups.
- TruthFinder
Apart from reverse mobile phone searches, this platform offers landline, VoIP, and vanity number lookups.
- BeenVerified
The reports provided by BeenVerified cover personal information, vehicle and property details, criminal records, and more.
- PhoneHistory
If you are looking to track down a phone number’s current and previous users, PhoneHistory can retrieve a detailed timeline with useful information about all its owners for free.
Wrapping Up
With scam rates escalating to epic levels, minding your safety is more important today than ever. Reverse phone number lookup services are among the most invaluable online tools available to mitigate fraudulent threats and ensure your safety.
These platforms can help verify information and uncover criminal histories, financial difficulties, and other useful data that could serve as warning signs when detecting fraudsters. They also allow you to identify a stolen number, block suspicious and unwanted calls, find previous owners of contact numbers, and save time and money during the process. Moreover, many of these reverse lookup sites offer anonymous searches so you can protect your identity from malicious actors.