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How to find social media by phone number

How to Find Social Media Accounts by Phone Number?

Oftentimes, the phone number is a guiding map that can be employed to track down many parts of the user’s digital footprint. However, there are pitfalls and nuances you should be aware of before starting your attempt to find social media by phone number. Since people tend to connect the same phone to multiple social media accounts for logging in quickly or passing two-factor identification, getting one’s number can be the perfect starting point for a SOCMINT investigation. Learn top-tier ways how to search social media by phone number with special tips from X-Ray Contact’s research team. 

What Is a Reverse Phone Search?

First, we need to settle on definitions to know the ways of how to handle a social media search by phone number. In general, a reverse phone search is a method used to identify the owner of a phone. Use this OSINT method when you don’t know the real name, email address, or social media account of a person. A technique of reverse phone search typically goes as follows: you take a phone number and use online tools, databases, or services to retrieve information about the person or an organization that owns that number. 

For example, a reverse phone search approach can be helpful in situations where you have received a phone call or text message from an unknown number and want to uncover its owners. The knowledge of such OSINT basics can also be useful for verifying the identity of someone you’re interacting with online, especially if they use a fake account. 

Why You Need to Find Someone’s Social Media Account by Phone Number?

why you need to find someone’s social media by phone number

The necessity to disclose the genuine social media account of a target can be justified by different valid motives. Let’s unpack some of the reasons why knowing the ways of phone number social media search is a necessity: 

  1. Verify Identity. It’s common for online users to have a different offline identity from what they have claimed on social media. You can potentially access more authentic information about them, such as their real name, photos, and other details that align with their real self, using some OSINT tips. Therefore, you can feel safer in your online communication, conduct transactions and build relationships with lower risks after conducting a SOCMINT investigation using different ways how to find social media accounts linked to phone number.
  2. Avoid Scams and Fraud. Criminals often use fake identities or pseudonyms to deceive users for malicious purposes. By cross-referencing someone’s phone number with their social media account, you can help verify their legitimacy and avoid falling victim to dangerous schemes. For example, you can dodge the dating scam on the Plenty of Fish app using the ways of how to find social media accounts by phone number. 
  3. Restore a Lost Connection. You can look up business acquaintances, old friends or colleagues, etc., whose phone numbers you still have but whose social media accounts you don’t know. It’s an easy way to rekindle relationships via social media networking to reach your personal or professional goals utilizing the methods to find social media by phone number.
  4. Conduct Research. You may need to foster an investigation for various reasons, such as background checks, legal matters, or academic study. Employing the strategies to find social media by phone number can provide valuable insights into their personal and professional background, including their education, employment history, interests and online behavior. This information can help assess their suitability for a job, rental property or whether they have a strong alibi.

The Best Ways of Finding Someone’s Social Media by Phone Number

ways to find social media by phone number

Even if you have zero previous OSINT experience, you can nail an investigation through these methods how to search social media by phone number. 

1. Direct Search

direct Facebook search

The first strategy is to type in the phone number in a search bar of a social media where a person likely has an account. It works for such socials like Twitter, Telegram or Facebook. Even if you will not be capable to find an account of a target, you may stumble upon posts that mention them.

2. Find Friends

It might be useful to lookup people from the network of someone you attempt to find on social media by a phone number. Mutual contacts can often provide clues about the person’s identity, location, or interests. Look for overlaps in the networks of people who interact frequently with the account linked to the phone number. For instance, recurring likes, comments, or shares can reveal people who are close to the target.

3. Public Records

Truecaller phone number lookup

Use phone number lookup services such as Truecaller or similar tools. These instruments may provide information like the owner’s name, email address, or associated social media accounts. The chance is especially higher if the number is publicly listed or linked to online services.

4. Advanced Search

There are different approaches to how you can search for someone with the help of the advanced strategies. The two most effective ones are to use third-party instruments and create a pro Google search query. In this section we will discuss these methods in detail.

X-Ray Contact Social Media Lookup

This instrument is a go-to for amateurs who have only started exploring ways to find social media by phone number. X-Ray Contact can assist you in learning how to find Instagram account owners, Facebook profiles, LinkedIn pages and more. The service is a data aggregator that scans input information in databases of 33+ providers. In case the phone number of the person you are looking for has been found in the system, you will receive a report with a comprehensive digital footprint review. The process goes as follows: 

social media search by phone number with X-Ray
  1. After you’ve chosen X-Ray Contact as one of the means to find social media accounts by phone number, visit the main page. 
  2. Go to the “Platform” bar in the header and then select “Phone” as an investigation channel. 
  3. You can either type in or paste the phone number and then wait while the program browses. 
  4. If there is a match, the tool can deliver you a review with details about the person, including real name, social media links, email address, location, images, workplace, education, relations and more. It is one of the simplest and most effective strategies to find social media accounts linked to phone number. 
Start searching

Reverse Phone Search With Google

how to do advanced Google search

Using search engines is one of the most popular means to find social media accounts by phone number. Here’s an algorithm of actions you should follow to do a social media search by phone number for free: 

  1. Enclose the phone number in quotation marks to make it easier to look up for the search engine. 
  2. If you have some extra information about the target, such as their name or any associated usernames, include that in the search query as well to get a more precise output. For example, you could search for “Johnny Suh” “127-456-7890” or “@johnny94” “123-456-7890”. 

Top Free Methods to Lookup Social Media Accounts

You can still lookup someone with a phoner number even if your budget is restricted. Since people leave digital footprint, you can trace it down even with minimal entry data. Here are the top free methods to investigate social media accounts using a phone number:

  1. Save the phone number in your contacts and check their profile in WhatsApp, Viber or Telegram. The profile name and picture can reveal more details that lead to social media accounts.
  2. Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram allow syncing your phone contacts. Enable this feature to discover accounts linked to numbers in your contact list.
  3. Sometimes, social media profiles might not appear directly in search results, but you can find someone on the Reddit forum, in ads, or on other online platforms where the person has shared their contact information.

How to Find All Social Media Accounts by Phone Number?

Many platforms have search features where you can input a phone number to find associated accounts. This is especially true for messengers such as Telegram or Viber as you will directly locate an account registered with this phone number. However, this method might be useless for Instagram since it doesn’t allow to lookup a user by a phone number. Here are some platforms you are likely to discover after employing the strategies to find social media accounts linked to phone number.

Social Media Accounts That Are Often Linked to Phone Numbers

social media linked to phone numbers
  • Facebook. This social media allows users to add their phone numbers to their accounts for security purposes and account recovery. Use this lead to be successful in finding someone’s social media by phone number.
  • Instagram. This platform uses the same system as Facebook for the two-factor authentication. 
  • Twitter. You can use the means to find social media accounts by phone number on Twitter as they are used for verification and logging-in. 
  • Snapchat. Since the users have to include a phone number for setting up an account, you can use someone’s number to disclose such a social media account.
  • Telegram. The messaging app requires users to verify their phone numbers upon registration. Since phone numbers are utilized as unique identifiers for user accounts on the platform, you can successfully apply the ways to find social media accounts by phone number.
  • LinkedIn. The person could have included their professional phone number in their social media account bio. That’s why the simplest strategies of finding someone’s social media by phone number can be effective for LinkedIn.

What to Do After You Find Social Media Accounts by Phone Number?

After the SOCMINT methods have led you to the target’s online presence:

  1. Study the Content. Take note of the type of information shared, posts, photos, and interactions to gain insights into the person’s interests, activities and online personality.
  2. Use HUMINT. Consider interacting with a target on social media platforms through discussions, commenting on their posts or sending a direct message. However, make sure that this communication is appropriate for your investigation purposes. 

Study Social Media Profiles Associated With a Phone Number

Make the best use of the links you managed to locate with the methods to find social media by phone number. Identify patterns and trends in the user’s posting frequency, content themes, engagement habits, and online behavior. Look for indicators of fake or misleading information, such as inconsistent details, suspicious activity or signs of manipulation.

Is It Legal to Search for Social Media Accounts by Phone?

Yes, unless you don’t violate the law and platforms’ terms of use. From the ethical standpoint, searching for someone’s social media accounts using their phone number depends on the intent and approach you take. You should have a justifiable cause to lookup your target and use non-intrusive methods. We discourage you from any attempts to take control over the devices of the person or hacking their social media accounts. Respect the person’s right for privacy and don’t try to dox them with a malicious intent.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this guide aided you with learning the tips for phone number social media search. Now, continue the investigation to verify a social media account and expose additional insights with high-profile OSINT tools.

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