Trace a UK Mobile or Landline Telephone Number

Receiving mystery calls and texts can be a frustrating or even frightening experience. It can be difficult to figure out where the call may be originating from. You may be able to trace the number to a name or business. You may have to enlist the help of a private investigator or the police to get results.

Steps

1. Retrieve the number by dialing 1471. This code will lookup the number of the last person that called you. This may be able to bypass blocked numbers.
2. Determine whether it’s a cell phone or landline. Since UK cell numbers start with 07, you can easily determine whether or not the caller is calling you from a landline. If so, you may be able to find the number in the white pages or, at least, narrow down to a city or region by area code. Mobile numbers, however, aren’t stored in a directory and will require more research.
3. Try a variety of search engines. A Google search can help if the number belongs to a public company or organization. It's not a guarantee, but it's a good first place to start. If you don't find anything on Google, try some other search engines, like Yahoo!, Bing, and others.
4. Try a reverse phone lookup service. These services search through public records such as voter registration to find matching phone numbers. None of these services are free, however. You'll likely need to pay to perform a search using them. Popular reverse lookup services include:
   • 192.com
   • FreeFindPeopleUK.co.uk
5. Avoid free phone tracing sites. There's a very good chance that any site that claims to track phone numbers is a scam. The only way that you can legally trace a number is by matching it with public records. Beyond that, only the authorities can trace numbers.
6. Report nuisance calls. If you are regularly receiving nuisance calls from the same number, you can report it to British Telecom. Oftentimes this will allow you to resolve the issue without getting the police involved. Call 0800 661 441 to report nuisance calls to BT.
7. Contact a private investigator. You can hire a private investigator if you've hit a dead end. Be aware that the investigator will only be able to search through public sources as well. These services aren't cheap, but can be much more thorough than a reverse phone lookup service. You may be able to find an investigator that will guarantee results or you get a refund. Many require an upfront payment with no guarantee.
   • Some private investigators will only take the case if the results are to be used in a legal case.
8. Contact the authorities. If you are getting harassed by an unknown number, you can report it to the authorities. Law enforcement personnel may be able to trace the phone number. Usually they will only do so if it is part of a larger case. You can find the contact information for your local police department at police.uk.
9. Contact your carrier. If you need to prevent a number from constantly harassing you, your carrier should be able to block it. This will prevent the number from being able to reach you. Different carriers have different blocking policies. Contact your carrier's Customer Service department for details.

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Sources and Citations

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