iMessage is an instant messaging service that supports free communication between Apple devices. So as long as someone has your contact information like a phone number, they may reach you via iMessage, including potential scammers. A user even reported being bombarded with the same annoying messages from multiple numbers so often that he turned off iMessage once and for all¹.

If you’d like to do something about it, we’re here to help. In this post, we’ll discuss how to look up an iMessage number and try collecting more related information.

Search by Email Address

How to look up an iMessage number?

The iMessage number is the actual phone number that the sender is using. So to look up an iMessage number is not so different from doing that with a normal phone number. And as long as the number is frequently used, there will be traces to find. 

Especially when it has been used to create social accounts, marked as a scam, or mentioned by others online, it will be easier to find related details. To help you gather as much information as possible, try the following options.

1. Look up the number on search engines

Search engines like Google and Bing can be helpful tools for finding information associated with an iMessage number. For instance, if the number is associated with telemarketing and has been marked as malicious in multiple online directories, a simple search can provide you with these details and help you react accordingly.

As you search, you can add a quotation mark on the WhatsApp number to search for an exact match. For example, “(123)123-1123“.

2. Try a reverse phone lookup tool

Another way to gather information is to use a reverse phone number lookup tool. These tools have access to multiple publicly available data sources, which can make it easier to find information related to the number.

BeenVerified

BeenVerified is a great choice as you do a reverse iMessage number/email lookup. With its access to a wide range of public data sources, it can help you find much information linked to the number searched, which may include the potential owner’s name, other numbers, and more. To use the service:

1. Go to the BeenVerified search page.
2. Enter the number and click SEARCH.
   
3. Wait as BeenVerified searches its data sources and generates a report.
4. On the report page, there is a navigation bar on the left to help you easily access the information that you’re interested in. For example, the Potential Owners section.
   
5. Note that BeenVerified is a subscription-based service and you’ll need to purchase a membership plan to view the full report.

What do we like about BeenVerified?
BeenVerified is an all-around search service. With one subscription, you can access its other search services like username, email address, and address lookups.

PeopleLooker

PeopleLooker is a trusted people search service that offers reverse phone number searches. With a single search, it can reveal much available information about the phone number, such as the caller’s name, address, alternate numbers, social profiles, and more. With that, you can have a better chance of verifying a person’s identity.

1. Go to PeopleLooker.
2. Enter the number, and click Search.
   
3. Then PeopleLooker will start the search process. Once finished, it’ll generate an easy-to-read report.
   
4. Note that PeopleLooker is also a paid service and you’ll need to purchase a membership plan to view the report.

Be aware that the product report screenshots displayed in this post are from sample reports for each product. Your actual reports may contain more or less information.

3. Use carrier and CNAM directories

Another way to do an iMessage number lookup is to use an online phone number directory. For example, freecarrierlookup.com, freecallerlookup.com, and whitepages.com.

As their domain names suggest, they can help you identify the phone carrier and the caller (if available) of the phone number. But note that they may limit the number of searches you conduct within a certain period of time.

4. Find linked social media pages by syncing contacts

Social media accounts linked to the phone number are another source of information to identify the caller – only if you can find them. By syncing your contacts, you can find the possible social accounts linked to the iMessage number. For example, we take Instagram as an example to show you how.

1. Save the number to the contact list of your phone.
2. Open Instagram, go to your profile page, and click the hamburger icon in the top right corner.
   
3. Go to Settings – Account – Contacts syncing, and set the button to ON.
   
4. You should find the account linked to the phone number on your page.
   

Alternatively, some social media gurus also shared that they typed the phone number into apps like Zelle, Cash App, and WhatsApp to check if there is an account linked to it². From there, you may get a profile picture and a real name.

5. Block and report unwanted messages

If you believe that a specific number is involved in spam, scams, and other kinds of abuses, you can block or filter messages from it on your iPhone or other devices. Also, you may choose to contact Apple and report these messages to them. Simply navigate to the user guide page and check how to proceed.

Or you may go to Settings – Messages and turn on the Filter Unknown Senders feature to filter out messages from senders that are not in your contacts. It does not directly stop unwanted messages, but puts them into a separate mailbox for you to check at your convenience. A user shared that they turned this feature on to block spam texts but would check it from time to time in case important ones get filtered out³.

FAQs

Can you do a free iMessage number lookup?

Yes, there are free WhatsApp number lookup services available that may provide basic information about a phone number. Apart from the free online search platforms mentioned above, some paid services like Spokeo and PeopleLooker will offer you some basic free information before you make the membership purchase.

How to tell whether you’re sending iMessage or regular texts?

If your text bubbles are blue instead of green, then you’re sending over iMessage⁴. Note that sending iMessages consumes your cellular data (if you’re not connected to Wi-Fi).

That’s pretty much all you need to know about how to gather related information by doing an iMessage number lookup. We hope you find the post helpful!

1. Virus/Malware [selva0106]. (2022, July 20). Spam imessage, Spam imessage Using icloud accounts. [Online forum post]. Lowyat. https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/5292624 ↩︎
2. r/hacking [topknotdetective]. (2022, November 3). Type the number in cash app and see if they have one of those… [Comment on the online forum post How could someone figure out who is behind a phone number without using one of those crappy websites that doesn’t work?]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/hacking/comments/ykbvw4/how_could_someone_figure_out_who_is_behind_a/ ↩︎
3. IOS and iPadOS [By treky fan]. (2022, August 4). Hi there. I know you are reporting those messages to Verizon, but you should also call amazon if you have… [Comment on the online forum post Spam text messages]. AppleVis. https://www.applevis.com/forum/ios-ipados/spam-text-messages ↩︎
4. Apple. (2023, December 19). What is the difference between iMessage and SMS/MMS? Apple Support. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207006 ↩︎