Every time we hear our message alert tone, our initial reaction is to grab our phones and check who sent us a message because it might be something important.
Only to read spam or unknown messages.
Currently, we receive messages from unfamiliar sources, and we wonder if the texts are meant for us or if they are scam messages from hackers.
Though they’re simple text messages, getting one from unknown senders could make us feel worried or confused.
Fortunately, there are several ways to know who’s behind those anonymous messages to have peace of mind.
This guide will share tips on discovering the identity of unknown text message senders using various tools and methods.
Use BeenVerified To Find Records
To help the users of this site, we’ve partnered up with BeenVerified so you can search for records of people, vehicles, addresses, phone numbers, businesses, and more.
This searching service may help reveal almost everything you need to know!
Information Available on BeenVerified:
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Table of Contents
Track down the Anonymous Text Sender
Search the number on Facebook
Some people use phone numbers to search for an individual’s Facebook account. We can also reverse that by utilizing Facebook to look for a person’s phone number.
To do a phone number search on Facebook, use the search bar at the top of the Facebook profile and enter a phone number.
Facebook will give search results, but if there are no matches, the person probably has the profile set to private or he did not provide a phone number on his account.
Use Snapchat to know the identity of the person getting in touch
Snapchat sure has cute filters and lenses, but the app is more than just a photo-sharing app. We can use it to track the identity of unknown senders as long as they use Snapchat.
To do so:
- Pull up the message from an unknown sender and temporarily save the number of the anonymous sender to the contact list.
- Open Snapchat and tap the user icon on the upper left corner of the app’s camera, leading to the profile screen.
- Once there, tap “Add Friends” and select the “Contacts” tab.
Snapchat will show a list of friends in the contacts. The user’s display name will appear if the mystery text uses the app. If not, do a web for their display name.
Maximize the power of Google
Google can give answers even to our out-of-this-world questions, so we have all the more reason to use it for simpler concerns like the identity of the mysterious message sender.
The simplest way to use Google is through reverse phone number lookup. The procedure is straightforward; just put the phone number in the Google search bar.
If the unknown number is linked to any person’s online account, it will appear in the search results.
Aside from Google search, third-party websites feature reverse phone number lookups. These tools can scan social media platforms and databases to reveal the identity of unknown senders.
Best Sites to do Reverse Phone Lookup
BeenVerified
With the help of BeenVerified, we can access billions of aggregated public data.
The site’s reverse phone lookup feature helps identify whether the phone number is legitimate or a scam.
Just a note, basic searches of the name are free but supporting details like age, social media profiles, address, and number, are only available on paid subscriptions.
BeenVerified’s paid plan ranges from $14.86 to $22.86 monthly.
Cocofinder
Cocofinder takes pride in how they handle the information with privacy and security.
The site houses an extensive database as a digital phonebook and provides information like the caller’s name, address, social media accounts, and others.
Non-techy people need not worry because Cocofinder’s user interface is simple and easy to use.
Entering the phone number will suffice to look for the owner’s identity. And unlike other sites that charge users, CocoFinder doesn’t require premium plan subscriptions to unlock advanced features.
Spokeo
With more than 12 billion records, Spokeo helps identify unknown calls and text messages from potential fraudsters or scammers.
Spokeo will get you the first and last name of the phone owner, address, and other available information.
The site’s reverse phone lookup feature helps identify unknown numbers and allows users to end or block anonymous calls and messages.
Spokeo offers a 7-day free trial, and when the user wants to subscribe to the premium plan, it costs from $0.95/report to $24/month.
PeopleFinders
PeopleFinders currently contains 43 billion public records from 6000 information sources.
This reverse phone lookup site helps users find information about a person through a landline or mobile number.
By just providing a phone number, it provides details like a person’s name, address, public records, etc.
PeopleFinder is 100% secure and primarily focuses on providing convenient and quality service to the user at fair costs. Its monthly membership rate ranges from $24.95 to $29.95.
Truecaller
One of the unique features of Truecaller is that it serves other countries and is not limited to the U.S.
The site helps users store and manage contacts and, at the same time, find the owners of the numbers that still need to be part of the phonebook.
Truecaller initially helps the user search through his contact list, and if there are no matches, the site searches its database of 1 billion records and displays the owner’s name should it find any matches.
A premium subscription to Truecaller starts at $2.99 per month, and the cost varies depending on the uses.
Spy Dialer
Spy Dialer uses publicly available information, social media, and user-contributed address books to help identify unknown or suspicious phone numbers.
By simply entering a US-based phone number, the site will search for information about the owner of the number and what company they use for service.
One of its unique features is that it includes a satellite image of where the number line is potentially located. Spydialer allows users to extract at least 25 number searches a day for free.
CellRevealer
What differentiates CellRevealer from other sites is that it doesn’t just provide details from phone books and public resources.
It runs its reverse phone lookup in the caller ID database to produce real-time and possibly more accurate results.
Apart from the U.S, CellRevealer’s free reverse phone search feature also works with numbers in different parts of North America, like Canada, Hawaii, Guam, and the Caribbean.
Spytox
The site gives a wide range of information from multiple sources. And Although it is less powerful than the other sites’ features, Spytox can quickly identify an unknown number.
It searches its internal database and the deep web to find the unknown number’s owner.
Spytox is a free reverse phone lookup site that does not require any sign-up or subscription. Users need to enter the unknown phone number, and the site will show all available information.
ZLOOKUP
The site lets users call an unknown number on the website itself. This way, the users will keep their number private to confirm if it is indeed owned by a person and not a bot.
ZLOOKUP searches through millions to gather information about a person. It aims to create transparency and accountability on landlines and cell phone users.
Although ZLOOKUP does background checks and can’t search for names, or email addresses, the site is free of charge for basic reverse searches.
White Pages
As one of the pioneers in the people search site industry, White Pages now contains millions of names, addresses, phone numbers, and others.
White Pages offers a free reverse phone lookup service for basic details like name, age, and location of the number’s owner. Premium plans are also available with prices ranging from $4.99 to $29.99.
AnyWho
Anywho provides a quick and easy way for users to find the owners of an unknown phone number.
While the site lacks features like reverse email lookup, its reliable reverse number lookup makes up for it.
It offers its basic reverse phone lookup free. However, if users want more detailed background information or a premium search, the subscription plan starts at $24.95 per month.
Conclusion
With today’s technology, staying connected is quite easy. Between social media, email, and messaging apps, there are countless ways to keep in touch with friends, family, and acquaintances.
However, with the increased connectivity comes a higher risk of spam and harassment from unknown sources.
We should address such an issue immediately so we can continue enjoying the benefits of instant messaging and staying connected.
After all, there is no shortage of ways to know the identity of an unknown text sender. It’s just a matter of finding the tool or method that suits you best.
