Imagine your phone registers a missed call from an unknown number. What are you going to do? Of course, most people just use their Caller ID to get the numberand return the call. While most of the time this is a harmless habit, the simple fact is that you don't always want to talk to whoever called you. Unknown numbers can be everything from your friend calling from a different phone to telemarketers and scam artists, and it is very difficult to tell which is which given only an unknown number. Luckily, by finding out a little more information about an unknown number before deciding whether to call it back, you can help protect yourself against unwanted and annoying callers.

Most people are naturally more suspicious of unknown numbers that come from strange area codes and are less likely to automatically call back such numbers, but even familiar area codes can disguise an unwanted caller. If you call back a number without doing a little research first, you might be playing yourself directly into the hands of telemarketers and other annoying or harassing callers. Given just an unknown number, you can find out an amazing amount about whoever dialed your number.

Internet resources like reverse phone lookups are one of the best ways to find out more information. Plus, using a reverse phone look up is simple and easy. Just type in the unknown number and click search, and within a few moments, you can find the name and address of almost any caller. Now, instead of having to blindly call back a potentially unscrupulous or dangerous person, you can find out important information about them before you decide on the best course of action.