How to find out who called you from an unknown number
A missed call from a number you don't recognise is not a reason to call back. If it was a scammer, calling back confirms your number is active, and they will try again. Some foreign and premium-rate numbers charge you the moment the call connects. So find out who's behind the digits first — it usually takes a couple of minutes and costs nothing.
Start by looking the number up here
Type the number into the search box on our homepage. The format doesn't matter: 22345678, +371 22 345 678 or 37122345678 all lead to the same page. If others have already reported the number, you'll see straight away who calls, what they say and whether they tried to get money out of anyone. The search is free and requires no registration. The one thing it won't show you is the owner's name: that's personal data, and publishing it is restricted by law. The behavioural picture — who calls, how often and why — usually tells you more than a name would anyway.
What the results show
- Operator — which network the number was originally assigned to: LMT, Tele2, Bite or one of the smaller carriers.
- Region— for landlines you'll see which area the number belongs to; numbers starting with 67, for instance, are Riga.
- Safety verdict — a summary based on user reports: safe, neutral, suspicious or dangerous.
- Comments— other people's experience: who called, what they offered, whether they asked for codes or payments.
An empty page doesn't mean the number is safe. It might be a fresh scam number nobody has reported yet — or just a courier who couldn't reach you. If you're new to Latvia: unknown mobile numbers starting with 2 are very often DPD or Omniva couriers, or a clinic confirming an appointment.
If the number was hidden
If your screen said Unknown or Private number, there's nothing to look up — the caller's number simply isn't transmitted. Clinics, banks and public offices often call this way, but so do pushy telemarketers. If anonymous calls keep coming and become a nuisance, ask your operator what options exist to restrict them.
The "2 or 6" rule
A genuine Latvian number has eight digits and starts with 2 (mobile) or 6 (landline). If your screen shows a supposedly local +371 number that starts with anything else, or has the wrong number of digits, it has most likely been faked with caller ID spoofing. We cover this in more detail in our article on the "2 or 6" rule.
Google the number in quotes
The second trick: search Google for the number in quotation marks — "22345678" or "+371 22345678". The quotes force the search engine to match that exact string of digits rather than anything similar. Try a few formats, with and without spaces, with and without the country code. This often turns up a company's contact page, a classified ad or a forum thread where the number has already been discussed. Facebook is worth a try too: in local scam-warning groups, new numbers surface remarkably fast.
When to skip the research and just block
Not every number deserves an investigation. Block immediately if:
- the number keeps calling but stays silent or hangs up after one ring;
- it's already on our list of known scam numbers;
- the call comes from a country where you know nobody — +881 or +252, say.
Premium-rate numbers (they start with 90 in Latvia) deserve caution as well: an unexpected call or a text urging you to ring one back is almost always a con. Block it and move on. If it really was a courier or your dentist, they'll find another way to reach you — usually by text.
One last thing: if you find out it was a scam call, leave a comment on the number's page. Your report will be there for the next person who searches for the same number — and it might save them real money. The more people share their experience, the faster suspicious numbers become visible to everyone.