Tired of Unknown Callers? How To Uncover (and Block) Them

Ryan Toohil

CTO at Aura

Ryan Toohil has a BS in Computer Engineering from Virginia Tech and holds multiple patents in the web services domain. As the CTO at Aura, he leads the platform, information security, and corporate IT teams.

Reviewed by Jory MacKay

Jory MacKay

Aura Cybersecurity Editor

Jory MacKay is a writer and award-winning editor with over a decade of experience for online and print publications. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Victoria and a passion for helping people identify and avoid fraud.

September 22, 2023

Talking with unknown callers could expose you to fraud or identity theft. Find out how to stop them and keep your entire family safe.

How Do You Find Out an Unknown Caller’s Number?

Even though the vast majority of Americans don’t answer calls unless they know who’s calling, scams from unknown callers are a growing problem. According to the latest statistics:

Americans dealt with a staggering 50.3 billion spam calls in 2022 alone.

If you can uncover a caller’s identity, it’s much easier to establish whether the call is legitimate. You can use third-party apps, call trace services, and options from your phone service provider to track and screen anonymous calls — and block numbers.

In this guide, we’ll explain how to find out who is actually calling you when you’re contacted by an unknown caller, and what you can do to stop threats from unknown callers.

Are Unknown Calls Always Scams? Should You Answer Them?

While surveys show that 94% of Americans and Canadians simply refuse to answer calls from an unknown caller ID, scammers know that even a small percentage of people could be fooled into answering restricted calls.

The problem is that not all unknown calls are scams.

Certain professionals, like doctors and lawyers, may withhold their numbers for privacy or security reasons — making you more likely to answer an “unknown caller” in fear of missing an important message.

Here are six ways that scammers block their caller IDs and hide their true identities:

Spoofing is when scammers use Voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP) to hide or disguise their Caller IDs. Some fraudsters spoof numbers from trusted organizations, like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). You might even get a call from your own number.
Caller ID blocking is a legitimate way to hide your number when making an outgoing phone call. You can keep your number private by dialing *67 before the number. Unfortunately, con artists exploit this method to make scam calls.
Third-party apps and tools allow scammers to manipulate calls by hiding phone numbers or displaying different ones.
The “Hide My Number” feature is available on both iPhone and Android devices. When activated, the caller ID displays "Unknown Caller" or "Private Number" instead of a phone number.
Virtual Numbers allow scammers to use virtual phone numbers or temporary phone numbers. Fraudsters can easily buy virtual numbers through third-party services.
Request Carrier Services that offer caller ID blocking as part of their service plans.

No matter how a caller’s number has been hidden, your best approach is to avoid answering and let the call go to voicemail instead. Legitimate callers will likely leave a message anyway.

But because there’s a chance the call could be an important one from someone you want to talk to, you should try to find out the identity of an unknown caller (even if they don’t leave a message).

How To Trace a No Caller ID Phone Call

Spam calls — especially “no caller ID numbers” — have quickly become the most common consumer complaint to the FCC. In response to the growing problem of unknown callers harassing Americans, networks and third-party providers have created digital security services for consumers.

Here are five ways to try and establish the identity of a caller:

1. Verify the caller’s identity using an AI-powered tool

How Aura’s AI-powered Call Assistant protects you:

Automatically blocks known spam and scam callers. Aura’s AI-powered Call Assistant automatically detects spam callers and adds them to a blacklist.
Screens unknown callers on your behalf. For no caller ID calls or spoofed or unknown callers, Aura will answer on your behalf.
Filters out spam text messages. Aura scans all incoming text messages for spam or scam content and dangerous links.

2. Dial *69 after an unknown caller

Here’s how to uncover the identity of an unknown number:

Dial *69 after ending your last call.
Listen for the call information. You should hear a recording with details about the previous call — including the phone number, and the time and date of the call.

3. Dial *57 after a malicious call (Call Trace)

How to uncover the identity of a malicious or threatening caller:

End the call. Hang up or decline the suspicious call immediately.
Dial *57. On your phone's keypad, dial *57 and then press the call button to activate the Call Trace service.

4. Call your phone service provider

Here’s what to do:

Gather essential details. Make a brief report of the issue.
Ask if the provider can identify the caller.
Inquire about additional security features.

5. Try an alternate third-party app or service

Here’s what to do:

Research third-party apps that combat scam callers. Look for caller identification and tracking capabilities.
Read customer reviews. Check online reviews from other customers.

Are Phone Number Lookup Services Legitimate?

A reverse phone lookup service allows you to find out the name of the person who owns a specific phone number. These services have access to public global databases for cell phones, landline numbers, and VoIP numbers.

However, it’s important not to do anything illegal with the information. We don't recommend using reverse phone lookup services because many collect (and sell) your personal data.

Tired of Unknown Numbers Calling? How To Block Them

You can block unknown numbers easily on Apple and Android devices. Here are five ways to block unknown callers:

1. Silence unknown callers on Android and iPhone

How to silence unknown callers on Apple devices:

Go to Settings and select Phone.
Toggle the Silence Unknown Callers slider to On.

How to silence unknown callers on Android devices:

Open your Phone app, tap on the three dots (More Options menu).
Go to your Phone Settings, and turn on See Caller & Spam ID and then Filter Spam Calls.

2. Use Aura’s AI-powered Call Assistant

Aura’s AI-powered Call Assistant scans incoming calls and text messages before you receive them.

3. Block spam numbers

How to block individual spam numbers on iPhones:

Open the Phone app and find the caller you want to block in your call log.
Tap on the More Info button next to the phone number or contact that you wish to block.

4. Try your phone provider’s spam-blocking applications

Your cell phone company may offer security features to help you block calls or flag suspicious phone numbers.

5. Add your phone number to the Do Not Call Registry

You can add your phone number to the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry. This service is managed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Did You Give Phone Scammers Sensitive Information? Do This!

Lock your credit and debit cards to prevent damage

Contact your bank or credit card issuers to lock your cards to prevent unauthorized spending.

Freeze your credit with all three bureaus

Placing a freeze on your credit reports prevents scammers from taking out loans and opening new accounts in your name.

File an official report with the FTC

Record the details of the scam calls along with any suspected fraud and file a report at IdentityTheft.gov.

Contact the fraud department at any impacted companies

If you’ve already fallen victim to credit card or debit card fraud, reach out to the fraud department of any affected companies.

Update your passwords

If you've been scammed, change all of your online account passwords — email, social media, banking, etc.

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

For added protection, use 2FA on all of your accounts.

Scan your devices for malware and other viruses

Regular scans can help you combat hackers who try to steal your passwords and data.

Consider signing up for an identity monitoring service

These services help keep track of suspicious activities involving your personal information, including your credit score, bank accounts, and Social Security number.