Identifying who called you from an unknown Belgian GSM number is a great idea. You want to avoid falling victim to scams like the Wangari scam, where scammers call and hang up after one ring or shortly after you pick up. Their goal is to get you to return the call so they can connect to a premium phone service like a sex hotline or attempt to get your money or personal information. This guide will share with you all the workarounds to identify who you’re dealing with in no time.
Understanding the Belgian GSM number
Before we discuss how to identify the owner of this Belgian number, here are the basics of the Belgian GSM format. Belgian GSM phone numbers’ total length is 10 digits when including the initial ‘0’for domestic calls. When calling internationally from outside Belgium, dialling the country code ‘+32’ makes the number nine digits. For landline calls, you’ll also need the geographic area codes, such as ‘02’ for Brussels, ‘03’ for Antwerp, or ‘09’ for Ghent. Mobile GSM numbers start with the four-digit prefix starting with 04. Hence, you can identify mobile numbers by prefixes such as 046x, 047x, 048x, and 049x.
To call Belgium from anywhere in the world, dial: (+32)-(999)-(99)-(99)-(99). And in contrast to domestic calls, the structured format would be (04XX XX XX XX). That said, before now, you could use the prefixes to determine the service provider used by your caller. But because of the recent introduction of number portability, users often switch carriers while keeping their original prefix.
How to identify a Belgian GSM number online?
Now let’s talk about all the best ways to find out who owns that Belgian number, ranging from using directories to other hacks you should try.
Use online reverse directory
Using an online directory helps you verify the GSM number against public and commercial databases to retrieve detailed reports on their digital footprints. These tools are a significant first step toward identifying which information you can connect directly.
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LocatePhone, best reverse directories in Belgium, allowing you to scan millions of data points for the information you desire. With this tool, you could find their full name, social media profiles, email addresses and more. You’ll also find their actual carrier information and access detailed scam reports. To use LocatePhone:
- LocatePhone ters telefon numarası aramasına gidin.
- Enter the Belgian GSM phone number (including the country code) and click the lookup button.
- “Tüm sonuçların kilidini aç” butonuna tıklayın.
- Type in your email address and unlock a detailed report.
- Befabriek
Belfabriek won’t provide comprehensive details about that phone number. However, it can still help you determine how available it is or whether it’s a spoofed phone number. This website allows users to purchase phone numbers in Belgium. Hence, it would check through the data lists for any results that can also help. Here’s how to use it:
- Go to the Befabriek reverse directory.
- Enter the entire phone number.
- If it’s been used, you’ll get information about the carrier and more. Alternatively, you might see the report “available’ especially when the phone number isn’t in use yet.
Add phone number on WhatsApp
Another ingenious way to identify a Belgian GSM number is to save it in your contacts and check it on WhatsApp. Doing this can help you look up the information they have on their profile. You can see their profile name and picture, which is great for confirming the identity of a known contact. However, this method only reveals what they’ve already set up on WhatsApp. Here’s how to use it:
- Go to the chats or calls tab.
- Find their number, then add them to your contacts.
- Once saved, go to WhatsApp and search for them.
- Then you can check their profile.
Google search GSM number
Since scammers often use the same set-up to call thousands of phone numbers, you might be lucky to see other people’s complaints online. People usually discuss their unpleasant experiences with scammers on forums, social media pages, and other platforms. Plus, if it’s not associated with a scam, the phone number might be linked to a legitimate business with some online presence.
However, always follow up by checking the company’s other customer care lines and calling to confirm the information you received. This works for situations where the scammer actually spoofed the phone number. That said, here’s how to use Google to search for details:
- Start by typing in the phone number with its international dialing code.
- Try again using the phone number alone.
- You should also consider adding key terms like “scam’ or ‘company’
With telephone service
You can also use a Belgian official, reliable source to find information about the phone number. Note that you won’t get the owner’s name or personal details through this method. However, you can confirm whether the number is active and who its current operator is. Here’s how to use it:
- Dial 1234 on your device.
- You can now either speak the phone number you are looking for or text it.
- The service would reply with corresponding details.
- Alternatively, you can text the Belgian number at 1234 to receive the information.
Check Belgian whitepages
White pages are online directories for finding people and businesses by name. However, you can also look up the phone number to see if it connects to a local business. That said, you might not have much luck with mobile phone numbers, as they have historically been used for landline listings. Here’s how to use it:
- Type in the phone number and select the search button.
- Wait a few minutes for the result to appear.
Safety tips when dealing with unknown callers
Being flooded with suspicious phone calls can be annoying. But while it’s almost impossible to avoid them, there are steps you could take to make a difference.
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You should always block calls from unknown phone numbers. However, spoofed phone numbers might not stop the nefarious callers from calling again because they aren’t using their real numbers to contact you.
- Never give out any personal details.
On some calls, you might be persuaded to update your personal information urgently or to press a button to contact the police, and other dubious reasons they might give. In such situations, they might request your national registration number, identification card number, name, address, or telephone number. All of these are sensitive details you should never share with anyone, under any circumstances.
- Report suspicious callers
Be proactive about reporting suspicious callers to the authorities, especially by using Safeonweb or forwarding suspicious messages to suspicios@safeweb.be. For financial scams, report to your bank and Card Stop at 078 170 170, and file a police report via Police on Web or at your local police station. Also, you need to report scams or fraudulent calls to consumerconnect.be.
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Can I find the full name of a GSM owner in Belgium?
You could try using reverse-lookup websites, searching social media, and other platforms we’ve discussed in this article. However, determining a GSM owner’s full name largely depends on how they’ve used that number online. Hence, if you’re dealing with very private individuals, you may not find all the answers.
Are GSM prefixes still linked to specific carriers?
Originally, specific carriers had prefixes you could use in identifying them. For instance, Proximus (046x), Orange (047x) and Telenet/BASE (048x). However, about a decade ago, Belgian authorities introduced complete number portability. So, a user can keep their original number but switch to a different operator.
How can I check whose name is registered to a number?
There’s no official way to see the full name registered to a Belgian GSM number. That said, you can still uncover information using reverse lookup solutions like LocatePhone, PagesBlanches, and Google. If they’ve harassed you or tried to defraud you, you should always report the number to your own operator and contact the police.
Çözüm
Identifying the owner of a Belgian GSM number need not be challenging. Using these techniques we’ve talked about, you can connect the dots to make smarter decisions about mystery callers. And even when you can’t find information about a private individual, there would be enough to determine your next steps. Ultimately, you can manage your expectations while proactively avoiding scams and safeguarding your privacy.
