Verifying the identity of someone you've met online can be challenging, as online interactions can be easily manipulated. Here are a few methods to consider when trying to verify someone's identity:
- Reverse Phone Number Lookup: Use NumLookup to see if the name they gave you matches with what we have. This only takes a minute! Read this for other methods to find the owner of a phone number.
- Video call: Requesting a video call with the person can help you confirm their identity by seeing their face and surroundings.
- Background check: You can hire a private investigator to conduct a background check on the person, which can provide information such as their criminal history, employment history, and education. Private Investigators use Reverse Phone Lookup and various other techniques to find extensive background information for any phone number.
- Social media research: Look up the person's name, phone number, email address and other details on social media platforms, if they have a strong presence on the web with consistent information and real friends, it may indicate they are who they claim to be. You can also use NumLookup's Social Media Search by Phone Number feature to find social media profiles associated with a US-based phone number.
- Ask for more information: Ask the person for more information about themselves, such as their place of work or the name of their school, and verify that information through online research or by contacting the relevant organization.
- It is important to be cautious and not share personal information or money with someone online until their identity has been verified.
Let's go through a couple methods mentioned above in a little bit more detail
Verify Identity Via NumLookup
Compare the information you get from NumLookup with the information the person has provided: Compare the name, address, and phone number found in the directory with the information the person has provided to you.
Check for inconsistencies: Pay attention to any inconsistencies in the information found in the directory with the information the person has provided to you.
Confirm the address: If the address provided by the person matches the address listed in NumLookup result, it can be an indication that the person is who they claim to be.
Be cautious: It's important to note that just because a person's name and phone number are listed in NumLookup, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are who they claim to be. A fraudster might have used a real person's identity to create a fake profile.
Verify Identity Via Video Call
Using a video call to verify someone's identity is one way to confirm that the person you've met online is who they claim to be. Here are a few steps to follow when using a video call to verify someone's identity:
- Schedule a video call: Arrange a video call with the person and make sure that the video call is done in a well-lit area so that you can clearly see their face and surroundings.
- Compare their appearance to their online photos: Compare the person's appearance during the video call to the photos they have shared online. Look for consistency in their facial features, hair, and other physical characteristics.
- Check their surroundings: Look at the background of the video call, it should match the information the person has shared about their location.
- Check for inconsistencies: Pay attention to any inconsistencies in the person's appearance, surroundings, or behavior during the video call.
- Take a screenshot: Take a screenshot of the video call and save it for your records in case you need it later.
- It's important to remember that a video call alone is not foolproof, as someone could be using a pre-recorded video or a live stream, so it's always best to combine this method with other methods for verifying someone's identity.
Verify Identity using Social Media
Here are a few methods for verifying the identity of someone you've met on social media platforms:
- Profile verification: Many social media platforms have user verification processes, such as a blue tick or a verified badge. This can indicate that the person is who they claim to be.
- Look for consistency: Check if the person's social media profile information matches what they shared with you. Look for a name, age, location, education, and work history inconsistencies.
- Check the number of followers: A large number of followers on a social media platform can indicate that the account is genuine, but it is important to note that a large number of followers can also be bought, so it's not a foolproof method.
- Check mutual friends: Look for mutual friends on the social media platform, as this can indicate that the person is who they claim to be.
- Reverse image search: You can use reverse image search tools to check if the profile picture used on the social media account belongs to the person claiming to be, or if it's been used elsewhere on the internet.
