{"id":26535,"date":"2025-08-01T07:10:45","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T15:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/?p=26535"},"modified":"2025-08-01T07:10:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T15:10:49","slug":"find-out-who-called-you-without-caller-id","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/find-out-who-called-you-without-caller-id\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find Out Who\u2019s Behind a \u201cNo Caller ID\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Caller ID has been around for a surprisingly long time \u2014 the initial patents date back to 1971<\/a>, with commercial use starting in 1984 \u2014 and for most of us, it would feel strange to pick up a call without knowing who\u2019s on the other end (or at least, what their number is).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nowadays, almost any incoming call is going to have caller ID on by default, but that doesn\u2019t stop some from popping up as \u201cUnknown Caller\u201d or \u201cNo Caller ID.\u201d<\/a> If you keep getting these calls and want to get to the bottom of who\u2019s behind them, here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using *69 To Identify the Last Incoming Call<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first thing you\u2019ll need to pay attention to is what your phone said when the call came through. If a call comes through to your phone with no name or number, you\u2019re first (and easiest) option is going to be using *69, which triggers the return last call feature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to use *69:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll simply want to dial *69<\/strong> on your phone and press call<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By dialing *69, some telephone systems will prompt an automated response that reads you the number of your last incoming call and then offers you the option of calling back. Note that other carriers, however,  will simply connect you directly to the number that phoned you last. This may be a deterrent for some people, as you risk automatically being put on a call with someone you likely don\u2019t know. An additional downside to using *69 is that it only works for the last incoming call, so it\u2019s ineffective if you\u2019ve received another call at some point after the \u201cNo Caller ID.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using *57 To Trace Calls <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve been receiving harassing or threatening phone calls, or scam calls that are specifically targeting you<\/a>, the *57 service code provides another way to find out who called you. Note this feature is known as call trace, and is often pay-per-use, meaning that your service provider will charge you a certain amount upon use. Running a *57 trace can cost anywhere from $1 to $10, and is generally only charged if the call trace is successful, though that can vary depending on your provider.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to use *57:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To use the service, dial *57<\/strong> right after you receive the call and press call<\/strong>. Follow the phone company\u2019s voice-prompt instructions and wait to see if the trace was successful<\/strong> (a recorded message will let you know).  It won\u2019t always work, but it\u2019s worth a try if you\u2019re being harassed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note that by dialing *57, you won\u2019t be directly given any information; rather, your service provider will keep a record of who called and release the information to law enforcement should you contact your local authorities to follow up on the call. Again, this feature isn\u2019t free, and is best used when you are being harassed, threatened, or in some way targeted, rather than just out of curiosity\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"woman<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Enable Call Identification (and Blocking) <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Caller ID is pretty much a default setting with modern cell phones. But if every call you receive (minus the ones from your contacts) appears to be a mystery, it\u2019s worth double-checking that you have certain caller ID features enabled, as well as some call blocking features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Enable Call Identification on iPhone:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Open your settings<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Select \u201cApps\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Find the \u201cPhone\u201d app on the list and select it<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Scroll down and select \u201cCall Blocking & Identification\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Turn \u201cBusiness Call Identification\u201d to \u201cOn\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Bonus: You can also reduce annoying spam calls by enabling \u201cSilence Junk Callers\u201d in the same menu<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Note that you can also enable \u201cSilence Unknown Callers\u201d from the same menu after step 3, but it isn\u2019t advisable since it might block completely legitimate calls, nor will it help you find out who keeps calling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to Enable Call Identification on Android:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. Open the Phone app<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Select \u201cMore options\u201d (it might also just appear as three vertical dots)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Select \u201cSettings\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Select \u201cCaller ID and Spam\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Turn \u201cSee caller ID & spam\u201d to \u201cOn\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Bonus: On some phones, you can also limit spam calls by enabling \u201cFilter spam calls\u201d in the same menu (certain phones will have this as part of an automatic Call Screen feature, so don\u2019t worry if you don\u2019t see it).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Contact Your Service Provider<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      If no built-in phone features seem to be helping, and *57 isn\u2019t returning any successful traces, a last resort could be to contact your service provider directly. It\u2019s not a guarantee they can help, but in the case of severe spam or harassing calls, working with your service provider might help shed some light on who\u2019s on the other end of the line \u2014 or at the very least, an identifiable phone number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Using Spokeo To Identify Your Caller <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      If you\u2019re able to get your hands on an actual phone number, you\u2019re likely one step away from finding out who\u2019s calling by using a search tool like Spokeo<\/a>. Simply go to Spokeo\u2019s reverse phone lookup tool, enter the number, and see what information is available for your caller.\u00a0 It will usually return the name of the registered user of that number, along with the geographic location and the name of the telephone service provider where the call originated.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Depending on the individual caller, you may also see a physical address, one or more email addresses associated with the phone number, and even social media or dating-site usernames associated with the number.  Armed with that information, you can do further Spokeo searches using the caller\u2019s name, physical address, or email address. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Obviously, you won\u2019t need to do that if you recognize the number (\u201cOh, it\u2019s my cousin Phil!\u201d). But it\u2019s tremendously useful if you\u2019re being harassed or believe you\u2019ve been approached by a scammer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Something to be aware of is that it\u2019s possible for criminals to spoof the incoming phone number<\/a> to make it appear that the call is coming from a legitimate or familiar source.\u00a0 If that\u2019s the case, searching the number will turn up its legitimate owner, but \u2014 and this is important \u2014 Spokeo\u2019s Phone Reputation Score, which shows on phone number searches, will also tell you if that number\u2019s been the subject of complaints lately (if you\u2019re a victim of this, check out this guide<\/a>).\u00a0 If it has, that can be a sign that scammers have been spoofing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      No Caller ID? No Problem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Once you\u2019ve tracked down the number behind a \u201cNo Caller ID\u201d or \u201cUnknown Caller\u201d and put it into a search tool like Spokeo<\/a>, the mystery of who\u2019s behind a call should be solved. And remember, Spokeo\u2019s people search tool works for more than just unknown phone numbers \u2014 you can look up the vaguely familiar person who just followed you on Instagram<\/a>, find out who\u2019s living on your street<\/a>, or even use it to reconnect with friends<\/a>, teachers<\/a>, or long-lost family members<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      No caller ID? No problem. Here\u2019s how to find out who called when a phone number is hidden behind \u201cNo Caller ID\u201d or \u201cUnknown Caller.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":28559,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[612],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides"],"yoast_head":"\nNo Caller ID? How to Find Out Who Called | Spokeo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"No caller ID? No problem. 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