You can dial *69 or use third-party apps to trace an unknown caller's identity (even for hidden numbers).
For unwanted callers, you can report the number as spam and adjust your settings to silence or block these notifications.
Do you frequently find yourself asking, "who called me from this phone number?" While so many of these unknown numbers are spam calls from bots, I'm sure we've all wanted to know how to find out the identity of an unknown caller number on our iPhones. There are a few different ways you can see a No Caller ID number, and I'll walk you through them so you can identify unknown callers in the future to protect your sanity and your safety.
Dial *69 to Trace an Unknown Caller after a Call from a No Caller Id Number
Dialing *69 is an extremely handy service when it comes to find out an unknown caller's identity. Immediately after a missed call from an unknown number or a number that shows up as No Caller ID, dial *69. From here, you will be able to trace the number—and name and address if listed in a public database—to reveal the number and possibly more information about the identity of the strange number that's calling you. This will work even if the phone number is hidden, and it will tell you exactly at what time they made the call to your iPhone. Do note, however, that this service is only offered by some phone companies, and some companies may charge an additional fee.
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Once you have this information, you can call the number back and attempt to remove yourself from the call list. However, don't be surprised if this method is ineffective. The best bet for making sure you don't receive calls from them anymore is simply to block the number. To block a number on your iPhone, be sure to check out our article on how to block unknown calls on your iPhone.
Use a 3rd-Party App Find Out an Unknown Caller's Number
If your service provider does not offer *69, you can still access the information by downloading an app. There are a fair number of apps that you can download to reveal who is calling from any given number. We've gone through and chosen a few reliable and trustworthy apps to find and identify unknown numbers and callers. If you like tips like this, be sure to sign up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter!
Reverse Lookup is a free service that allows you to run a reverse search on a phone number. While this isn't useful if you don't know the caller's number, it may still be useful if you find that you are receiving a lot of random calls from the same number. There's always the possibility that someone simply has the wrong number, or you can discern whether that person is someone you might know. Either way, not a lot of these services are completely free, and that's definitely a pro in and of itself.
Number Finder is one of the top apps to make reverse phone number searches. You can use this app to reveal the phone number of No Caller Id phone calls, whether you missed the call or receive a text from the number instead of a call. You can also gain access to detailed information, including potentially the name and location of the caller. This way, you can avoid annoying bill collectors, scammers, telemarketers, and even exes for a more peaceful frame of mind. Additionally, this app does offer a three-day free trial period if you only need to nail down one or two annoying callers in the short term.
If you're being harassed by No Caller ID numbers, TrapCall is a service that will reveal the number and Caller ID of anyone who has masked their number. TrapCall can turn unfamiliar numbers into real names, even sometimes including an address with Live Caller ID. The service truly does offer some amazing benefits, including revealing numbers and identities of unknown calls, automatically blocking more than two hundred thousand identified spam callers and telemarketers, recording incoming phone calls for evidence, and tracking down digital stalkers. While TrapCall isn't entirely free, I believe the price can be well worth the peace of mind. Additionally, this app also offers a free trial period, but instead of three days, you get a whole week to try their services for free.
*prices vary per country.
Report Unknown Callers & Numbers
There are a few different ways you can report spam and scam calls. This is especially relevant if you feel you are being harassed or you would like police involvement. Because of this, these suggestions are not to be taken lightly, and these services should only be used under absolutely necessary circumstances.
1. Dial *57
Similar to *69, this is a service that is offered by some phone providers that allows you to call this number after you have received an unwanted call and it will automatically connect you with your local law enforcement officials. Police will then be able to track your incoming calls, even those with "No Caller ID," and act upon them. If you are in an emergency, be sure to also dial 911 and contact emergency services immediately. However, keep in mind that *57 is not offered by all providers and may come at an additional charge.
2. Contact Your Phone Company
You may be able to receive assistance with annoying or harassing phone calls by contacting your service provider. The phone company may be able to provide you with the phone number of an unknown caller if the calls are coming in as "No Caller ID." They can also provide you with a list of both incoming and outgoing calls with the unmasked phone numbers easily visible. If the information is available publicly in places like on the internet or in the Yellow Pages, you may be able to figure out the caller's identity. Also, you can receive assistance with blocking or reporting numbers via your phone company to ensure you no longer receive these calls.
3. If You're a US Citizen, Report Scam Calls to the FTC
If you continue to receive scam calls, you can report them to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can report potential scam calls to 1-888-382-1222. The FTC does only regulate callers in the United States, but your country may have an equivalent organization that you can get in contact with.
Silence Unknown Callers in Your iPhone Settings
If you have an iPhone, you're definitely in luck when it comes to silencing unknown callers forever. Also, you don't need to discover the number of a caller listed as No Caller ID to get this to work. Apple has a built-in feature that will allow you to automatically silence unfamiliar phone numbers like those not on your contact list. While the callers can still leave a voicemail, your iPhone just won't ring for every random or unknown call. You can always call the number back later as well, and be sure to save the number in your contacts to avoid missing calls from that person in the future. Otherwise, you can look forward to a lot less annoying calls throughout the day.
To set up Silence Unknown Callers, go to Settings on your iPhone.
Tap Phone.
Select Silence Unknown Callers.
Toggle Silence Unknown Callers to on. It will be green when enabled.
Depending on your provider, you may also have an option within Phone settings to Silence Junk Callers. For instance, I use Verizon and I can turn this feature on in the Phone settings.
Open Settings on your iPhone.
Tap Phone.
Select Call Blocking & Identification.
Toggle Silence Junk Callers on. It will be green when enabled.
If you have downloaded TrapCall or another call screening app, you will also be able to enable that app under this section of Phone settings as well. Junk, spam, scams, and telemarketing schemes are so common now through phone calls. It's important not only that we protect our personal information, but also ourselves and our peace of mind. Nobody deserves to be harassed, even if it's not life threatening. These random calls can be annoying, so don't feel bad about blocking them, silencing them, or getting to the bottom of who keeps calling you.
FAQ
Why am I getting so many unknown calls all of a sudden? Your number may be on a list that was sold to a scammer group, or if you use your number for business, it may be publicly available online.
Is it better to ignore or decline spam calls? It is better to ignore calls from unknown numbers. If you answer a scam call once, that lets them know your number is in-service and encourages them to keep calling you back.
Rachel Needell is a Feature Writer at iPhone Life, and a poet and author. With 10-plus years of experience working with Apple devices, she specializes in all-things iPad and is a Notes App expert, having worked on both the 2023 iPad Guide and the Notes App Guide. You can usually find her writing in the Daily Tip newsletter as one of our senior Tip writers. Rachel received her Master’s degree in English Literature in 2021 and her most recent work appears in the Winter ’21 edition of New Note Poetry. When she’s not obsessing about Apple products, you can find her voraciously reading fantasy books with her cat in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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