Tracing a Phone Number: What You Need to Know

Cindy Ellis - July 22, 2022

Tracing a number or doing a reverse phone lookup is a great way to figure out who’s calling you. With millions of scams and spoof calls made each year, knowing who’s on the other line can save you time and money. Tracing someone’s number using a reverse phone lookup tool can also help if you or a loved one is in danger or receiving threats from an unknown phone number. While there are many ways to trace a phone number, some are harder than others.

We’ll take you through everything you need to know about phone number tracing through reverse phone lookups and other methods. We’ll cover who can do it, why it’s helpful, and situations where call tracing shouldn’t be done.

What Is Call Tracing?

Call tracing is a process that allows someone to see an established phone connection and the route it takes. In everyday life, call tracing isn’t a very practical or common practice; often, when people think of “call tracing,” they really mean a reverse phone lookup.

What Is the Difference Between Call Tracing and Reverse Phone Lookup?

Even though the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, call tracing and reverse phone lookups are actually very different.

Call tracing involves gaining access to a person’s call and routing data. This basically means that the tracer can have a log of what numbers the traced number calls and receives and the location data of those calls. Call tracing logs are really only valuable to government agencies and the police and, in certain cases, require a warrant.

But typically, if you’re looking to find out about an unknown number that’s been calling you, the best course of action is a reverse phone number lookup. A reverse phone lookup involves inputting the phone number you’d like to know more about into a search bar. The results may vary, but it can often return things like the name of the person who owns the number, an address, previous known addresses, possible relatives, possible criminal history, etc.

Are Reverse Phone Lookups Legal?

Yes, as long as the information you obtain is used for legal purposes, reverse phone lookups are legal.

However, there are a few instances where a reverse phone lookup is not legal. These include using the phone lookup tool to find out background information on an employee or tenant (current or prospective), for background checks on any potential household employee, checking someone’s financial qualifications, or stalking or harassing. For further information about how a reverse phone lookup can and cannot be used, check out our dos and don’ts.

Is Call Tracing Legal?

Yes, call tracing is legal. In fact, you can trace a call from any landline, cellphone, or smartphone; depending on your provider and the type of phone, you need to press *57 or #57 to trace calls. Furthermore, the police legally trace phone calls when warrants are acquired.

That said, call tracing shouldn’t be abused. While telemarketing agencies can be frustrating, making phone calls is legal. So, having the authorities trace their calls can backfire and get you into trouble. You should also avoid call tracing for malicious reasons.

Can Private Numbers Be Looked-Up or Traced?

Any phone number can be traced, even if it appears as “Blocked” or “Private” on caller ID. Toll-free numbers can also be traced, so no phone number is off-limits.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for reverse phone lookups; if you cannot see the number calling you, you will not be able to search it. However, if you suspect a specific person may be calling you, you can search for that person and see if they are the owner of the phone.

Using the Reverse Phone Lookup Tool

The best method for finding information about someone after a phone call is to use a reverse number search service through Information.com. Using the reverse phone lookup method is helpful because websites like Information.com can provide you with personal information about the caller, which doesn’t happen when you trace a call.

When using the reverse number lookup service, you can expect to find a person’s name, address, and additional phone numbers.

You can also use information.com for other resources. For example, you can perform background checks, locate lost family members, and more.

Other Phone Lookup Tools

If you’re looking for other ways to look up information about the owner of a phone number, here are a few other tools you can use.

Whitepages

Whitepages is one of the simplest ways to find information about callers. You can use the online Whitepages, or the yellow pages. Whitepages can provide you with the name, address, and phone number of most landlines in the United States. Whitepages also spans the entire country, so you can use the service in almost any state.

For Whitepages to work, all you need is the phone number. Then, simply use the search tool to begin looking for the name and address of the caller. Keep in mind that Whitepages only gives you access to landline phones. Today, most people use mobile phones, so websites like Whitepages have become less effective for looking up relevant information.

Whitepages also has other problems. The biggest problem with Whitepages is that the information can be outdated and inaccurate. Furthermore, Whitepages can be expensive and cost you money after the first few searches. Plus, if you want advanced features from Whitepages you’ll have to pay even more.

Google

If you’re looking for a free and simple way to find out information about a number that’s been calling you, you may consider trying a Google search. It’s important to note that a Google search will not be as detailed as a reverse phone lookup and sometimes may not return any information at all.

Social Media

Many people and companies link their phone numbers to their social media accounts, so it can’t hurt to search a phone number that’s been calling you on a social media platform to see if it turns up any results.

However, note that viewing someone’s profile on LinkedIn is not anonymous—unless you’re using a premium account.

How to Trace a Phone Call

There are a few ways to trace a phone call. However, individuals and businesses can only trace calls by using the *57 or #57 method. The other call tracing method is reserved for the police and other government agencies. Still, people can reach out to the police to have a call traced if there is a threat of violence.

We’ll take you through the two primary methods for tracing phone calls.

Trace a Call With the Vertical Service Code (VSC)

In the United States, there are several vertical service codes (VSCs). These codes are used for call tracing, blocking calls, disabling caller ID, and more. Using a VSC to trace a call is simple and can be done from landlines or mobile devices. On landlines, press the *57 after a phone call. For iPhone and Android devices, you might have to use #57 instead—though some Android phones do have options for *57.

Depending on your service provider, the steps for call tracing via the VSC can be different. Below are the steps needed to trace calls using the VSC:

1. Wait a few seconds after the call and then pick up the phone (landlines) or open the dial pad (mobile phones).
2. Press *57 (landlines) or #57(mobile phones).
3. Wait for an announcement to play from your service provider.
4. You will either hear a message that confirms the call was traced or a message that states it was not.
5. End the call by hanging up or pressing “End.”

When a call is traced using a VSC, the data is not gathered by the one who initiated the trace. Instead, the phone provider holds the information and keeps it private. So, if you want to take legal action after a call, contact your local law enforcement agency and connect them with your phone provider.

Call tracing with a VSC helps deal with scammers, spoof calls, and other types of harassment. Keep in mind that it might take a few traces before a phone provider blocks a number.

Call Tracing Applications

There are also call tracing applications that you can use. Call tracing apps use software to trace calls automatically; some apps even allow you to record the call. That said, the legality of call tracing applications is up in the air. This is because there are some situations where call tracing and recording are not legal, especially if the caller is not notified.

Therefore, it’s better to use a trusted website like Information.com for phone searches and assistance. Otherwise, you could expose yourself to unwanted legal ramifications, bills, advertisements, and spam emails.

Call Tracing Best Practices

Call tracing is a powerful tool when used correctly. Still, there are important rules to follow when using call tracing. If you abuse call tracing, you can get into trouble with others and the authorities. Additionally, using the police as a tool to spy on others is a crime, especially if you lie about a crime taking place.

How Call Tracing Should Be

Call tracing can be used in many ways, so it’s important to understand when to use it. While it’s available to everyone and legal to perform, it should only be used for emergencies and harassment.

Some examples of when to use call tracing are listed below:

• Find information about someone harassing you and your family
• Alerting phone providers to potential scam numbers and stolen phone numbers
• Alerting the authorities to threats against you or your family
• Getting data to send to the police to take legal action against someone
• To help you learn more about someone who’s calling you from a private or blocked number

Those are some examples of when it’s appropriate to use call tracing.

Things to Avoid When Tracing Calls

Call tracing is helpful, but it should never be used to harm others or with the intent to harm others. We’ll take you through a handful of things to avoid when call tracing.

Below are practices to avoid when call tracing:

• Trace the number of someone’s identity you want to steal
• Flag telemarketing companies as scam callers
• Stalking people and callers
• Contacting someone who doesn’t want to be contacted.

Avoiding those practices can help you use call tracing legally.

Final Thoughts on Tracing a Phone Number

Reverse phone lookups and tracing phone numbers can help you identify who’s on the other line and even keep you safe. In a world where people are receiving phone calls from around the world, it’s important to keep an eye on who’s calling. Otherwise, you can expose yourself to scams, threats, and other problems.

You can perform a number lookup or trace on almost any phone number. Plus, if you’re ever in danger, the police can trace phone numbers too. However, tracing phone calls isn’t always the best way to find out who’s calling. In fact, we recommend using a service like Information.com before attempting to trace a call.