There are many situations when you want to find as much information as possible about someone’s real identity or at least their phone number. Perhaps, you’re dealing with harassment, tracking a suspicious login, or simply trying to identify an unknown caller. These are all legitimate reasons to consider whether you can connect an IP address to a phone number. Here, we’ll cut through the myths to provide a clear guide on what’s possible and what’s not, along with alternatives.
Can you get a phone number from an IP address?
The short and direct answer is that you certainly cannot. For the average person, finding a phone number directly from an IP address wouldn’t be feasible. An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to every device connected to a network. It works like a digital return address for your internet traffic and is typically assigned by your mobile carrier or Internet Service Provider (ISP). Your ISP assigns and keeps records of IP addresses for customer accounts, alongside your name, address, and phone number. But you can’t usually access those records.
What information can you get with an IP address?
If you had someone’s IP address, there’s still a ton of information you can find about them. Using a standard IP lookup tool, you’ll typically find:
- Geographic location: Depending on how you obtained the IP address, you can find the city and regional data associated with it. In some instances, if an IP tracking link tool was used, you can trace up to their street level.
- ISP information: You could identify the company that provides its internet service. For instance, it could be British Telecom, Verizon, Comcast, or a mobile carrier like T-Mobile.
- Device type: When you look up the IP address, you can distinguish between a residential ISP, a mobile data network, or a data centre (such as Google Cloud or Amazon AWS). This is useful for identifying bots or VPNs.
How to get a phone number from an IP address?
Now, let’s talk about theoretically possible avenues where it’s possible to connect an IP address to a phone number.
Law enforcement
This is the most effective method for finding a phone number by IP address. However, this approach is reserved for serious cybercrimes, credible threats, harassment, and other similar offenses. In such situations, law enforcement would compel the ISP to legally reveal the subscriber information associated with that specific IP address at that specific time. If you’ve been a victim of such serious crimes, here’s what you can do:
- Capture the IP address and file a report with the relevant police department or cybercrime unit. You’ll need to provide as much evidence as possible.
- Law enforcement would get a subpoena or court order to submit to the ISP. The ISP would provide the account holder’s information, including name, physical address and phone number. Note that they won’t give you access to this information.
ISP cooperation
Generally, the ISP would never give an individual another customer’s personal data. However, you could report to the ISP about that IP address from that individual who’s abusing their network. Reporting the abuse would allow the ISPs to investigate internally, and perhaps block the person from their network.
Use the IP lookup tool
IP lookup tools can provide as much information as possible about the person’s geographical location and organization. However, they won’t offer any additional details, such as their name, phone number, or other identifying information.
Alternatives to finding a phone number online
Even as you can’t get a phone number from an IP, there are still ways to uncover valuable information. That said, you’ll need a lot more than an IP address
Use online directory
Traditional methods like online directories aggregate public records and listed phone numbers. So, if you have their name and city, you can use these directories to connect to their phone numbers. Please note that this method works more effectively for landline numbers than mobile phone numbers. To use this approach:
- Go to WhitePages.com
- Type the name and city and hit the search button.
- Browse through the results.
Many people list their contact information on their professional or public social media profiles. If you have their name and other details, you can find their pages. This also works if you know the niche communities to which they belong. You can join these communities and find their profiles, which would lead to your “About” section where the number would be listed. To use this approach:
- Go to a social media platform, such as Facebook.
- Enter their name in the search bar.
- Locate their profile and then “About” Section.
With a people search engine
People search engines are databases that provide access to public records in a consolidated format. These platforms scour millions of public records, social networks, government records and other sources to help you build a detailed profile about people. Note that these services aren’t usually free. That said, you would be able to find as much information as possible including their phone numbers. To use a people search engine like Spokeo:
- Go to Spokeo
- Type in the name and city.
- Finally, Spokeo will match different profiles that fit your descriptions.
FAQ
Can you trace an IP address from a phone number?
Generally No. However, IP trackers like LocatePhone can help connect to your loved one’s phone and location with incredible accuracy. LocatePhone is impeccable at combining GPS, network information and WI-FI to help you find where they are at the moment.
Can someone determine who you are based on your IP address?
Not always. However, with just your IP address, they may be able to determine your general location and ISP. That said, ISPs typically don’t release the connecting information to that IP address without a legal order.
Can an IP address reveal location?
Not always, unless you’re using a dedicated IP tracker. IP lookup tools, on the other hand, typically only indicate your general location. If you’re using an IP tracker like LocatePhone, it can reveal details up to 3meters away from their current location.
Conclusion
Determining whether an IP address can be connected to a phone number is a common question. Here, we’ve debunked the myths and provided effective alternatives to help you find the insights you desire. Depending on the information you have, directories like Whitepages or social media profiles can reveal everything you need. And when all else fails, you can always try an IP tracker to find their precise location within minutes.
