How to Figure Out Who Owns the Private Number That Is Calling You

By Chanel Adams

Bring the matter to the attention of police if the calls are unsettling.
i woman talking on cell phone / mobile phone image by Katrina Miller from Fotolia.com

It can make you feel uneasy whenever you receive phone calls from an unknown number, especially if the calls are constant or occur in the middle of the night. You feel helpless, especially if the caller is harassing or threatening you. You need to get your telephone company and authorities involved in a situation such as this. They can help you find out the owner of the private number and put the end to the frightening calls.

Write down details of the phone call, including day, time and length of the call. If you receive more than one call from the private number, create a call log. If you live in a state that allows you to record phone calls, then use a tape recorder to record the calls.

Report the phone call to your telephone company and police department. Fill out a police report using the information you created in your call log. This helps the police keep the situation on record.

Contact your telephone provider. Ask the representative to enable phone tracing on your telephone line. This involves dialing a code such as *57 that tracks back to the police department. The police will receive the phone number, and can use it with your filed report.

Request the phone number from the police department. Most telephone providers give the details of the call to law enforcement agencies. Once the police department receives the number and links it to your report, they will give you the number, including the name and address of the person calling you.

Invest in an Internet-based cell phone tracing service. There are services available on the web that promise to trace any cell phone and provide information on the caller, including name and address. These only work for cell phones, not land lines.

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