Who called me? How to identify an unknown number
A missed call from a number you don't know: before calling back, a few checks tell you who it was and help you avoid bad surprises.
Look at the start of the number
The prefix already says a lot. In France, numbers starting with 06 and 07 are mobiles, 01 to 05 are landlines tied to a region, and 09 is non-geographic, often an internet box.
Twelve French prefixes, such as 01 62, 02 70 or 09 48, are reserved for automated calls and telemarketing. A call from one of them almost always comes from a call centre.
Watch out for premium-rate numbers
Some numbers are charged at a premium rate. A common scam rings your phone once so that you call back an expensive number. If an unknown number hangs up immediately, don't call back without checking it first.
Look the number up
Searching the number online sometimes gives a business name or reports from other people. Ylumo does this for you: it cross-checks directories, public messaging profiles and community reports, and only shows a name when it is reliable.
Never give a code over the phone
Your bank, your carrier or a public service will never ask you to read out a code received by text. If someone insists, hang up and call the organisation back on its official number.
Questions
How can I find out who owns a mobile number?
There is no complete public directory of mobile numbers. Services like Ylumo combine several sources and their users' reports to find the name behind a number, when it is known.
A hidden number called me. Can I find out who it was?
No. A hidden call doesn't send the number, so no app can identify it.
How do I report an abusive call?
In France, text the number to 33700 to report an abusive call or text message. In Ylumo, report the number as spam to warn other users.