Yes, you can track a VoIP call

Traditional phone calls are easy to trace because they are made through recognized operators. Telephone companies operate the physical telephone lines and can trace the origin of each call.

When you want to track a VoIP call, it can get a lot more complicated. VoIP stands for “Voice over Internet Protocol” and stands for technology that allows people to make calls over the Internet instead of using a landline connected to the public telephone network.

Landline VoIP numbers are tied to a specific address and are not difficult to track. The problem is that most of the spam calls come from non-landline VoIP numbers that are only tied to a user, which may be the recorder’s email address configured with a fake ID.

There are limits to what you can find out on your own if the caller takes steps to hide their identity. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless to take action. In this guide, we’ll show you how you can track a VoIP call yourself and, if necessary, report the problem to law enforcement.

The best way to trace a VoIP call

If the caller has a registered IP address and caller ID, your service provider can help you trace the VoIP call. This is the best way to identify the caller.

First, make sure you have all the information your supplier will need when you contact them. Here’s some information they might ask:

• Date and time of the call. If there have been multiple calls from the same number, print or take a screenshot of the phone log so you have all the details at hand when you talk to your service provider.
• Subscriber phone number or username (if available).
• Any other call detail records registered in your system.
• The content or purpose of the call.

After you provide this information, your service provider can take several steps to trace the VoIP call:

• Review their logs and call records to try to determine the source of the call, including the associated caller ID and IP address.
• Determine where the call came from By analyzing network data and routing information, the service provider can determine the location of the caller.
• Help with legal inquiries if it comes to that. They will cooperate with law enforcement agencies to provide information necessary for the investigation.

Also, service providers will know how the call was routed through their network, so you can understand how it traveled before reaching you.

However, even your service provider may not be able to trace the call, especially if the caller is using a VPNif IP address used by several numbers, or if the number was not registered initially.

Additionally, they may not be willing to provide you with the information you request. Privacy laws may prohibit the service provider from sharing call details. They are more likely to cooperate with law enforcement if it is a serious problem.

Should I contact the authorities to track a VoIP call?

If you suspect the caller has malicious intent—potentially illegal or threatening—don’t try to play detective.

Whenever calls involve harassment, fraud, threats, or illegal activity, you should involve law enforcement. Authorities have access to more advanced tools and legal procedures tailored to obtain the necessary information.

Simply put, the police can do a few things that most people can’t:

• Get information about the subscriber with legal requests: The police can ask service providers for caller details and call records.
• Use warrants to monitor: They can also get permission to listen in on calls and monitor them in real time with search warrants.
• View calls in different locations: Officials can check calls between states or countries.

The average person will hit a wall when they try to get help from the first stage providers. Law enforcement agencies will have much better luck getting the data you need and are much better equipped to analyze it.

The next time you get a call with unwanted telemarketing spam or someone impersonating another company, it’s best to report it Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is a government agency responsible for communications management and consumer protection.

For example, if you are on the national do-not-call list, you should not receive sales or spam calls. If you still are, you can report it to the FCC so they can take action against scammers and protect consumers from scams.

How to track a VoIP call yourself

If you have the time and desire to trace a VoIP call yourself, there are a few steps you can take. Of course, to do it yourself, you need some knowledge. The more tech you’re willing to get, the more you can learn. However, the VoIP provider will still be able to learn a lot more.

First, I’ll talk about what you need to know, and then I’ll talk about a few different methods you can use.

Every VoIP call contains certain details that can give you an idea of ​​the identity of the caller, such as:

• Subscriber ID: Caller ID helps trace a VoIP call by providing the caller’s number or username. However, some callers may hide or spoof their caller ID, making it less reliable.
• Subscriber IP (Internet Protocol): This unique number is assigned to a device connected to the Internet. This helps to track the geographical location of the subscriber.
• CNAM (caller name): The CNAM is associated with the phone number in the subscriber’s records and can help you identify their name or organization.
• Additional data: In addition to these basic elements, VoIP calls may contain additional data that can be tracked, such as call duration, call quality, background noise, and any network-related information that may give you clues.

You can try to track calls yourself first, but always contact your service provider if the methods below don’t work. And remember, when it comes to illegal activity, you should always contact the authorities directly.

1. Use reverse phone lookup

Reverse phone lookup services allow you to enter the subscriber’s phone number or username to get information about the subscriber. They use databases that contain user information related to phone numbers.

You can access the caller’s name, address, and sometimes additional information.

Some reverse phone lookup services are available for free, while others may charge a small fee for a complete caller profile.

If you’re lucky, you might be able to get information using this method. However, this may not always work because not all VoIP numbers are tied to an individual subscriber the number you see in caller ID may not be the actual number the caller is calling from.

2. Configure the caller ID on the VoIP device

Configuring caller ID on your VoIP device does not inherently trace VoIP calls in the sense of tracing their origin, but it can provide valuable information to identify the call.

When someone calls your VoIP device, caller information is transmitted along with the call. Your VoIP device, configured with caller ID settings, displays this information on the screen when you receive a call.

All you need to do is go to the account settings on your VoIP device, which are usually located in the main menu.

Find the option to enable display of incoming VoIP call number and name. When this function is activated, if the caller’s name is already saved in your phone book, it will be displayed automatically.

In cases where the caller’s name is not in your contacts, the service will check online databases for a match between the number and the name of the owner and display it on your screen when you receive a call. Some services even allow you to create answer rules to prevent calls without a registered caller ID from reaching your phone.

3. Check online guides

As mentioned, all fixed VoIP numbers are tied to a physical address.

This means that you will be able to search for subscribers in the online version of the phone book

There are public directories that show the name and address associated with a phone number.

Keep in mind that the success of this method depends on the availability of information.

Some online directories offer free basic search functions where you can enter a landline VoIP number to retrieve limited information such as the caller’s name or location. If you need more information, they can provide the option to purchase a more detailed report for a one-time fee or with a subscription plan.

What else can be done to trace a VoIP call?

If you have a friend or colleague in IT, they can help you learn a little more about the caller using network monitoring tools to analyze the relevant VoIP traffic.

To be honest, even calling a friend in this situation is a long time, even if he is an IT master. After all, if someone wants to hide their identity and make calls using VoIP, it’s not that difficult.

Contacting law enforcement is really the best option, and even they will face some obstacles due to privacy laws, access to ISP data, and successfully tracing the call.