Traditional phone calls are easy to trace since they are made through established carriers. Phone companies manage physical phone lines and can trace the origin of each call.

When you want to trace a VoIP call, it can become much more difficult. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and refers to the technology that allows users make phone calls over the Internet instead of using a landline connected to the public switched telephone network.

Landline VoIP numbers are linked to a specific address and they pose no problem to trace. The problem is that most spam calls come from non-landline VoIP numbers, which are only linked to one user, which may be a burner email address set up with a fake identity.

There are limits to what you can find out for yourself if a caller takes steps to conceal their identity. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless to take action. In this guide, we’ll show you how to trace a VoIP call yourself and, if necessary, escalate your issue 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 may be able to help you trace the VoIP call. This is your best way to determine the identity of the caller.

To get started, make sure you have all the information your supplier will need ready when you contact them. Here is some of the information they may ask you:

• Date and time of the call. If there have been multiple calls from the same number, print or capture a screenshot of your phone log so you have the details handy when you speak to your service provider.
• Caller’s phone number or username (if available).
• Any other call detail records stored in your system.
• The content or purpose of the call.

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

• Review their call logs and recordings to attempt to identify the source of the call, including the associated caller ID and IP address.
• Detect where the call is coming from by analyzing network data and routing information, the service provider may be able to find the caller’s location.
• Help with legal requests, if this arises. They will work with law enforcement to provide information necessary for an investigation.

Additionally, service providers will know how the call was routed through their network, so you can understand the path they took before reaching you.

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

And on top of that, they may not want to give you the information you ask for. Privacy laws may prevent the service provider from transmitting call details. They are much more likely to cooperate with law enforcement if it is a serious problem.

Should you contact the authorities to trace a VoIP call?

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

Anytime calls are related to harassment, scams, threats, or illegal activity, you should involve law enforcement. Authorities have access to more advanced tools and legal procedures in place to get the information you need.

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

• Get caller information with legal requests: The police may ask service providers for caller details and call recordings.
• Using warrants for surveillance: They can also obtain permission to listen to calls and track them in real time through search warrants.
• Review calls in different locations: Officials can check calls between states or countries.

The average person is going to hit a wall when trying to get help from upstream providers. Law enforcement will be much more likely to obtain the data you need and will be much better equipped to analyze it.

The next time you receive calls involving unsolicited telemarketing spam or someone impersonating another company, it is best to report it to Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The FCC is a government agency charged with managing communications and providing consumer protection.

For example, if you are on the National Do Not Call List, you should not receive commercial or spam calls. If this is still the case, you can report it to the FCC so they can take action against scammers and protect consumers from deceptive practices.

How to Trace a VoIP Call Yourself

If you have the time and desire to trace a VoIP call yourself, there are steps you can follow. Of course, doing it yourself requires some basic knowledge. The more technical you are willing to become, the more you will be able to learn. However, a VoIP provider will still be able to find out much more.

I’ll first cover some of the jargon you need to know, then I’ll go over a few different methods you can use.

Each VoIP call contains specific details that can give you insight into the identity of the caller, such as:

• Caller ID: Caller ID allows you to 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.
• Caller IP (Internet Protocol): This unique number is assigned to a device connected to the Internet. It allows you to trace the geographic location of the caller.
• CNAM (Caller Name): The CNAM is associated with a telephone number in the caller record and can help you find out its name or organization.
• Additional data: Beyond these essentials, VoIP calls may contain additional traceable data, such as call duration, call quality, background noises, and any network information that might give you clues.

You can first try tracing calls yourself, but always contact your service provider if the following methods do not work. And remember, if illegal activities are involved, you should always go directly to the authorities.

1. Use a reverse phone lookup

Reverse Phone Lookup Services Allows you to enter the caller’s phone number or username to retrieve caller information. They use databases containing user details associated with telephone numbers.

You may be able to access the caller’s name, address and sometimes additional details.

Some reverse phone lookup services are available for free, while others may require a small fee for the full caller profile.

If you’re lucky, you may be able to get some information using this method. However, this does not always work, because not all VoIP numbers are linked to an individual caller, and the number you see on your caller ID may not be the actual number the caller is calling from.

2. Set up caller ID on your VoIP device

Setting up caller ID on your VoIP device does not in itself track VoIP calls in the sense of tracking their origin, but it can provide valuable information for call identification.

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

All you need to do is navigate to your VoIP device’s account settings, usually found in the main menu.

Look for the option to enable display of incoming VoIP call number and name. When this feature is enabled, if the caller’s name is already saved in your phonebook, it will be displayed automatically.

In cases where the caller’s name is not in your contacts, the service will check online databases to match the number with the owner’s name and display it on your screen when you receive a call. Some services even let you create answer rules so that calls without a recorded caller ID can’t reach your phone.

3. Check online directories

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

This means you may be able to search for callers in what is essentially the online version of the phone book.

There are publicly available directories displaying the name and address associated with a telephone number.

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

Some online directories offer free basic search features 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 may offer you the option to purchase a more detailed report for a one-time fee or through a subscription plan.

What else can you do to trace a VoIP call?

If you have a friend or colleague in IT, they might be able to help you get a little more information about the caller by using network monitoring tools to analyze relevant VoIP traffic.

To be honest, even calling a friend in this situation is a daunting task, even if they are an IT expert. Ultimately, if someone wants to hide their identity and make calls via VoIP, it’s not that difficult.

Getting in touch with law enforcement is really the best option, and even they will face hurdles related to privacy laws, access to upstream provider data, and successful call tracing.