Have you ever received a phone call from a number that appears as “No Caller ID” on your caller ID? This can be frustrating, especially if the calls are frequent or harassing. Luckily, there are a few methods you can use to try to track a “No Caller ID” number and find out who is calling you.

Why some calls play hide and seek

Caller ID, the technology that displays the name and phone number of the person calling you, emerged in the 1980s. It was a revolutionary invention that made it easier than ever to avoid unwanted calls and identify potential scammers.

However, caller ID isn’t always available. There are a few reasons why you might not see a caller ID when you receive a call. One reason is that the caller has blocked their number. This is often done by people who want to make prank calls, send anonymous messages, or protect their privacy.

Temporary technical malfunctions can also disrupt caller ID functionality. For instance, an Xfinity user reported encountering this issue, with all incoming calls displaying as “Private caller, out of area.”¹

So, next time you see “Unknown Caller” or “No Caller ID” on your phone screen, don’t panic! And if you’re really curious about who’s calling, you can try the following methods to track and uncover the identity behind those elusive “No Caller ID” calls.

Track a “No caller ID” call with the *69 code

To reveal the hidden number, you can dial *69 (the call return feature). It allows you to automatically dial the phone number of the last incoming call you received, even if the call was marked as private. This service is usually provided for free by most landline and mobile phone providers. It is recommended to use the call return feature within 30 minutes of the last incoming call, as some providers may restrict the time frame during which this service can be used.

After your dialing, some providers may send a computer-generated voice that tells you the number as well as the option to place a call. Other providers call back the private number and don’t provide you with the number. Please note that many phone service providers charge extra fee for *69 calls. Also, not every phone company provides this service. 

Trace and report malicious calls with the *57 code

“No Caller ID” calls are more likely than not to be troublemakers – threats, harassment, or just plain weirdness. Take the Verizon user who got a daily 10:28 EST wake-up call from Mr. Mystery², or the forum post about endless obscenities from a hidden number³.

If this is what happened to you, you can try dialing *57 immediately after the call, instead of the *69 mentioned earlier. It will involve multiple procedures: Firstly, it automatically traces the source of the call, and sends an alert to your phone service provider. Secondly, under certain circumstances, local law enforcement may also be notified, facilitating a prompt response to potential criminal activity.

Perform a reverse phone lookup

Performing a reverse phone lookup is the easiest and most hassle-free way to trace a No Caller ID call and find out who’s behind a phone number. With a professional people search engine, you’ll be able to find the following information of the owner of a phone number (if available):

• Full name, aliases, age, etc.
• Location information
• Social media profiles
• Education background
• Public records & criminal records

BeenVerified is powerful and reputable phone lookup tool to find out who owns a phone number. It boasts a large database and a user-friendly interface, allowing you to quickly and easily search for the information you need. It enables you to search for almost anyone from billions of data points and uncover who’s behind those unknown calls with ease, even if the number is not published or unlisted. Here’s how to use it:

1. Go to BeenVerified Phone Lookup page.
2. Enter the phone number in the search field and click SEARCH.
   
3. Wait a few minutes for the report to generate. Once finished, you’ll acquire loads of helpful information about the phone number owner, such as their location and address, age, email address and social media profiles.
   

Use a call blocking app

Another option you can try is to use a call blocking app to unmask “No Caller ID” numbers. Many call blocking apps have the ability to unmask these types of calls, and the process for doing so is usually straightforward.

To use a call blocking app to unmask a “No Caller ID” number, follow these steps:

1. Search for and download a call blocking app from the App Store or Google Play Store. There are many different call blocking apps available, so you may want to read reviews and compare features to find the best one for your needs.
2. Install the call blocking app on your phone and open it.
3. Follow the app’s instructions for unmasking calls. This may involve setting up a whitelist or blacklist of phone numbers, or entering the “No Caller ID” number into a search field within the app.
4. Wait for the app to search for information about the phone number. This may take a few minutes, depending on the app you’re using.
5. Review the results. If the app was able to find information about the owner of the “No Caller ID” number, it will be displayed in the results. This may include the person’s name, address, and other personal details.

So this article is about how to trace a “No Caller ID”. Hope you find it helpful. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to drop us a line in the comment section below!

1. Home Phone Features [Beechilco]. (2020, June 4). No caller ID on incoming calls [Online forum post]. Xfinity Community Forum. https://forums.xfinity.com/conversations/home-phone-features/no-caller-id-on-incoming-calls/602daf27c5375f08cd029867?commentId=602daf7fc5375f08cd0e0191 ↩︎
2. Apple (Archive) [Cindy-Loves-Tigger]. (2014, May 9). I have been getting calls with No Caller Id or Phone Number. [Online forum post]. Verizon community. https://community.verizon.com/t5/Apple-Archive/I-have-been-getting-calls-with-No-Caller-Id-or-Phone-Number/td-p/617482 ↩︎
3. Help and support [ecar24]. (2016, May 20). I’m receiving obscene calls from a ‘no caller ID’ number, is there any way of tracing the call? [Online forum post]. giffgaff. https://community.giffgaff.com/d/18335600-i-m-receiving-obscene-calls-from-a-no-caller-id-number-is-there-any-way-of-tracing-the-call ↩︎