Can a Private Investigator Find Out Who Owns a Phone Number?

In a world where nearly everything runs through a smartphone, getting a call or text from an unknown number can be unsettling—especially when that number is tied to harassment, fraud, threats, or other suspicious behavior. If you’ve tried to Google the number or use a reverse lookup site only to come up empty-handed, you're not alone.

Many people ask: Can a private investigator find out who owns a phone number?
The short answer is yes—and in serious situations involving fraud, stalking, or civil/criminal legal matters, hiring a PI might be the smartest (and safest) step you can take.

 
Why People Need to Identify a Phone Number Owner

There are countless legitimate reasons why someone would need to know who’s behind a phone number. Here are some of the most common scenarios we encounter:

• Fraudulent activity – You received suspicious texts about fake deliveries, banking issues, or credit alerts.
• Threatening or harassing messages – A person is calling or texting repeatedly with threats, obscenities, or false accusations.
• Civil or criminal case preparation – You’re working with an attorney or law enforcement and need to identify the person behind a phone number tied to a lawsuit or crime.
• Infidelity or identity deception – The number is connected to a hidden relationship, fake online profile, or possible scam.
• Court-related matters – The individual tied to the number is avoiding legal service, owes child support, or is involved in an ongoing dispute.

In all of these cases, knowing who is behind that number isn’t just about curiosity—it’s about protecting yourself, preparing legal action, or gathering evidence.

 
What People Search Websites Can (and Can’t) Do

A quick web search will lead you to dozens of “reverse phone lookup” sites. Some may promise results for free, others offer paid reports that claim to tell you the name and address behind any number. But here’s the problem:

• The data is usually scraped from outdated public directories.
  • Many mobile numbers are unlisted, especially prepaid and VOIP numbers.
• Spoofed numbers (when a scammer uses someone else’s real number) may point to an innocent party.
  • Results often include inaccurate or mixed-up names, especially if the number has changed hands.

In short: people search websites rarely produce verified results—and if the situation involves harassment, stalking, or legal consequences, you cannot afford to be wrong.

 
How Private Investigators Legally Identify Phone Number Owners

Licensed private investigators like Easton Secure Solutions LLC use tools, methods, and databases that are not available to the public. Here’s how we approach these cases:

1. Access to Tier 1 Proprietary Databases
These databases aggregate real-time phone data from utility records, financial institutions (via credit headers), and telecom records. Unlike consumer sites, this data is verified and continuously updated—critical when someone is trying to stay off the grid.

2. Cross-Referencing with OSINT and Social Patterns
We combine phone records with open-source intelligence (OSINT)—pulling from social media, digital footprints, business licenses, and more—to link a number to a person, especially if they’ve used it in any public or semi-public context.

3. Link Analysis and Behavioral Mapping
If a number has contacted multiple people with similar messages or threats, we can map connections and sometimes even identify pattern-based behavior, which helps in civil suits and law enforcement involvement.

4. Verification Before Reporting
We don’t guess. Once we identify a potential owner of a number, we verify the match through address records, associated emails, voice recordings (if applicable), and other identifiers. You’ll get a verified, documented result you can actually use.

 
Real Case Example: Harassing Texts Lead to Civil Action
A recent client came to us after receiving weeks of threatening text messages from a New York-based number. The messages referenced her child, her job, and even her apartment—details that showed this wasn’t just random spam. The police initially told her they needed a name to proceed further.

She tried two online reverse lookups and came up empty. Then she contacted us.

Using deep skip tracing, proprietary phone data, and OSINT techniques, we linked the number to a former coworker with a history of similar behavior. We verified the match through address and utility records and provided our client with a documented report.

That report was used by her attorney to file for a protective order—and police were able to initiate a criminal harassment case based on the newly identified individual.

This is where hiring a private investigator makes all the difference. Accurate identification can change the outcome of a case.

 
Why This Matters in Civil and Criminal Cases

Knowing the identity of someone behind a number is often the first step in:

• Filing police reports (for harassment, stalking, or threats)
• Filing a civil lawsuit (for damages, defamation, or fraud)
• Reporting scam or fraud attempts to the appropriate agencies
• Getting protective or restraining orders
• Serving legal documents in cases where the subject is avoiding being found

In many of these scenarios, your case can’t proceed without a confirmed identity—and hiring a PI ensures that what you submit is solid, admissible, and obtained legally.

 
What We Need to Start a Phone Trace

In most cases, we can begin an investigation with just the phone number—whether it’s a mobile, VOIP, or landline. Additional details like:

• Any messages you’ve received
• When you started receiving the calls/texts
• Social media screenshots or connections to the number
  • can help speed up the process and narrow the search. But they’re not required.

Our identity verification starts at $199 and includes:

• Confirmation of name associated with the number
• Cross-referenced address and email (when available)
• Social footprint or professional history (when relevant)
• A verified report suitable for civil/criminal use
   
  Legal and Ethical Compliance
  At Easton Secure Solutions LLC, we operate strictly within legal boundaries. We do not engage in pretexting (lying to telecom providers), hacking, or any illegal forms of surveillance.

Our investigations are compliant with state and federal laws, ensuring the information we provide can be used in court or submitted to law enforcement without putting you or your case at risk.

 
You Don’t Have to Wonder Who’s Behind That Number

If you're dealing with harassment, threats, fraud, or any situation where an unknown phone number is involved—don’t wait until it escalates. A private investigator can help you find out who’s behind it, verify the identity, and give you the documentation needed to take action.

 
Work With a Licensed New York Investigator Today
Easton Secure Solutions LLC proudly serves New York City and Long Island. As a licensed private investigation firm, we specialize in:

• Skip tracing
• Identity verification
• Fraud and harassment investigations
• Pre-litigation intelligence
  We deliver accurate results fast—ethically and confidentially.

📞 Call us today at (516) 962-1267
📧 Email: [email protected]

Or visit our Identity Verification and Skip Tracing service pages to learn more.

 
Don’t rely on guesswork. Get the truth you need—legally, safely, and fast.