While almost every cell phone is equipped with a caller ID, this doesn’t help you very much if you received a call from a number that you don’t recognize. If you want to see who sent the call, then you can use a reverse cell phone lookup service that will give you all the information you need. These services are often very easy to use, but there are a few things to remember before using one of these websites.

Choose Free or Paid

There are both paid and free lookup services that you can use. Both of these services offer a different level of thoroughness. Free lookup services are good if you want to know the general area where the call came from. Free services might also show you the phone carrier associated with the number.

Paid services are more comprehensive. They should tell you exactly where the call came from, who owns the number and you might even get an address. Paid services are usually essential if you want this specific information because cell phone numbers are more private than landline numbers.

If you just want basic information, then a free reverse cell phone lookup service will be perfect. If you want to know exactly who called you, then you’ll need to pay for a comprehensive report. Paid services typically cost about $20 or less.

Finding a Lookup Service

Finding a cell phone lookup service is exceedingly easy because there are hundreds of websites with this technology. You just need to use your favorite search engine to find one. You should run a search for “reverse cell phone lookup.” This should direct you to the best websites with this service. If you specifically want a free service, then it might be better to run a search for “free reverse cell phone lookup.”

Most of these websites are connected to the same databases. This means that quality is fairly consistent with these websites. At the same time, there are some bad reverse lookup services that won’t be very helpful. Ensure that the website is capable of looking up mobile numbers and that it’s connected to a national database for the best results.

Run the Search

This is probably the easiest step of the process. Type in the cell phone number and run the search. While some websites might not require the area code, it’s much better to add the area code numbers for the best results. If you don’t, then you might get dozens of results that are scattered across the nation. The area code will narrow the results so that you can discover exactly who called you.

Private Information

Don’t pay for a reverse lookup unless you are assured that the website can give you the name, address and other information of the caller. Unlike with landline numbers that have a public directory, cell phone numbers are private. If someone is using a prepaid phone, then it’s almost impossible to discover anything more than the general area of the caller.

Conclusion

Reverse cell phone lookup services are incredibly easy to use. They are also very useful if you received a call from someone that you don’t know. While there are times when you won’t be able to find the caller’s name and other information, you should at least be able to discover the caller’s general location and phone carrier.