California Reverse Phone Lookup

Identify Phone Number Location Using California Area Codes

To identify the location of an California phone number, you need to understand the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) structure that all California numbers follow: +1 NPA NXX XXXX.

• +1 - Country code indicating the United States
• NPA - The area code reveals the geographic region where the number was originally assigned
• NXX - Central office code that locates the specific neighborhood and identifies the service provider
• XXXX - Subscriber number identifies the individual phone line within that local exchange

The area code (NPA) is your key to determining location. By matching the three-digit area code to California's regional assignments, you can identify which part of the state the phone number originates from. Each area code corresponds to specific cities and counties throughout California, making it possible to narrow down the caller's general location.

Here's a complete list of California area codes with major cities:

For latest California phone numbering regulations, contact Siamack "Bubba" Donighi at the California PUC via [email protected] or 916-894-5642.

California Phone Numbers

California has approximately 57.9 million active phone numbers. Cell phones are the dominant service with 48.7 million users, while traditional landlines are declining with 1.6 million connections statewide. Internet phone services account for about 7.5 million numbers.

This indicates that when you search a California phone number, it's very likely a cell phone. The continued decrease in landlines suggests that newer phone numbers may be more challenging to trace compared to older landline numbers that historically had more readily available public information.

California Voice Subscriptions (in thousands):

Source: FCC Voice Telephone Services Report

Top 5 US Cell Phone Companies

Most phone numbers are cell phones, and most cell phone numbers come from the top three United States wireless companies. Here are the top five US Cell Phone Companies in Q1 2025:

• Verizon - 146 million customers
• T-Mobile US - 131 million customers
• AT&T Mobility - 118 million customers
• Boost Mobile - 7 million customers
• U.S. Cellular - 4.4 million customers

Robocalls and Unwanted Calls in California

California residents experienced a decrease in unwanted calls in 2024, with complaints totaling 287,916—a decrease from the peak of 622,417 complaints in 2021, according to the latest National Do Not Call Registry Data Book.

Key Facts for California Residents:

• 161,548 of California's 287,916 complaints involved automated robocalls, representing a significant portion of all unwanted call reports statewide.
• 27,125 complaints were for fraudulent "imposter" schemes, followed by debt reduction (20,756) and medical/prescription scams (13,374).
• Over 28 million Californians have registered their numbers on the Do Not Call Registry, demonstrating strong community engagement in call protection efforts.
• A decrease in complaints from 2021's peak shows that protective measures may be making a difference for California households.
• 98,127 complaints involved live callers, indicating that human-operated scam operations continue actively targeting the state.
• California ranks #9 nationally for complaints per 100,000 population.

Verify Phone Number Owner to avoid Scam Calls California Fraud Statistics

According to the Federal Trade Commission's 2024 data, phone calls and text messages make up 35% of all fraud contact methods nationwide:

• Phone calls: 19% of fraud reports (284,659 reports, $948M in losses)
• Text messages: 16% of fraud reports (246,784 reports, $470M in losses)

More than 1 in 3 fraud attempts happen through phone communication. Phone call fraud costs victims a median of $1,500 per case. Text message fraud costs a median of $1,000 per victim.

In 2024, California residents reported 238,705 fraud cases resulting in total losses of $1,678,703,608, with a median loss of $$542 per victim. With phone-based fraud representing such a significant portion of these cases, phone owner verification has become a critical consumer protection tool.

When you receive calls from unknown numbers, take a moment to research the caller's identity. Reverse phone lookup services allow you to search a phone number to find information about who's calling—including whether the number has been reported for fraudulent activity.

Received fraudulent calls or fallen victim to phone fraud? Report it immediately. Each report helps authorities identify fraud patterns and protect other consumers from similar scams.

Additional Contact:
California Attorney General
Rob Bonta
(916) 445-9555

Other California Phone Number Search Methods

Sometimes, a simple reverse phone lookup isn't enough to identify a California phone number. If you need more information, these alternative search methods can help. With a population of over 39 million and over 1 million business establishments in California, finding the information you need might require trying a few different ways.

Social Media Phone Number Searches

Social media platforms can be surprisingly useful when trying to identify a phone number. For example, if you're meeting someone new and want to verify their phone number legitimacy, social media searches can help. You can often find a phone number listed on a profile or used for account recovery.

• Facebook: Try searching for the phone number using Facebook's public directory.
• LinkedIn: If you believe the phone number belongs to a business professional in California, LinkedIn can help verify the person's identity. Considering California's large business presence, this can be especially useful.

Here are some helpful links:

• Facebook public directory: Facebook Search
• LinkedIn people directory: LinkedIn People Search

California Business Phone Verification

If you suspect a phone number belongs to a California business, you can verify it using official state databases. This is useful if you're considering business partnerships with California companies. You can confirm their legitimacy before engaging in large purchases or contracts.

• Use the California Business Search tool provided by the Secretary of State. This allows you to search for businesses by name and potentially find their phone number.

Here are some useful California state resources:

• California Secretary of State: California Secretary of State Website
• California Business Search: California Business Search

For the best results, it helps to use these methods together.

Are Reverse Phone Lookups Legal in California? Your Privacy Rights Under the CCPA

Yes, reverse phone lookups are legal in California, but your phone number and related personal information are protected under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). You have specific rights to control how businesses collect, use, and sell your phone data.

What Phone Data is Protected Under California Law?

Your phone number qualifies as "personal information" under the CCPA when it can identify, relate to, or be reasonably linked to you or your household. This includes:

• Your phone number itself
• Call records and communication patterns
• Geolocation data from your phone
• Information inferred from your phone usage that creates a profile about your preferences

However, phone numbers in publicly available government records (like business licenses) are not protected under the CCPA.

Your California Phone Privacy Rights

As a California resident, you have five key rights regarding your phone data:

1. Right to Know: Request what phone data businesses have collected and why
2. Right to Delete: Ask businesses to delete your phone number and related information
3. Right to Opt-Out: Stop businesses from selling your phone data to third parties
4. Right to Correct: Fix inaccurate phone information about you
5. Right to Limit Use: Restrict how businesses use your location data

How to Exercise Your California Phone Privacy Rights

Timeline Requirements:

• Businesses must respond within 45 calendar days (extendable to 90 days with notice)
• For opt-out requests, businesses must respond within 15 business days maximum

How to Submit Requests:

• Use the business's designated methods (typically found in their privacy policy)
• Businesses must provide at least two ways to contact them
• You cannot be required to create an account just to submit a request

Verification Process:

• Businesses may ask for additional information to verify your identity
• They can only use verification information for that specific purpose

Who Enforces CCPA Violations?

Primary Enforcement:

• California Attorney General
• California Privacy Protection Agency (for violations occurring July 1, 2023 or later)

Limited Private Lawsuits:
You can only sue businesses under very specific circumstances - when your unencrypted personal information (including phone numbers combined with other identifying data) is stolen in a data breach due to inadequate security practices. You must give the business 30 days written notice to cure violations before suing.

Exceptions:
Some information cannot be deleted, including:

• Information needed to complete transactions you requested
• Data required for legal compliance
• Information necessary for security purposes
• Phone numbers in public government records