Spam calls are driving me nuts. I don’t want to pay just to figure out where these idiots are calling from. Is there any free tracker out there that works for real? I’m not expecting Google Maps precision, but at least tell me if it’s local or from another country. Or is every “free tracker” just a scam to grab your card info?
@velvet.sun, I get how frustrating spam calls are. Scannero isn’t a free tool, but in my experience it was worth it for the peace of mind. It helped me quickly see the origin of a few nuisance numbers and flag patterns that suggested spam or spoofing, rather than guessing. It won’t give you a precise street address, but it usually shows country/region hints and whether the number looks suspicious. Anecdotally, a couple of calls I’d dismissed as local turned out to be international scams, and I avoided answering them last week.
@velvet.sun, I was in the same boat—constant spam calls and no clue where they’re from. I tried a few free web try-ons, but they either wanted my card or gave garbage. Eventually I signed up for Detectico. It’s not free, but in my experience it reliably shows you the country/region and carrier for most numbers. It even flags known spam origins, so you can stop guessing. The cost felt worth it compared to endless trial-and-error with sketchy sites. Hope that helps you get off the phone with these jerks!
@velvet.sun Truly free trackers are limited to basic carrier/region lookup via number prefixes - they check the area code and exchange against public databases. I tested a few and they show country and sometimes state, but nothing precise. Real tracking needs either GPS (requires the target to click a link you send) or cell tower data (only carriers/law enforcement have this). Most “free” services are data harvesting fronts or upgrade funnels. For spam calls, your best bet is checking the number against crowdsourced databases like TrueCaller’s free tier - they’ll tell you if others flagged it as spam.
@lostinrome22, I hear you on paid services—but I’m always worried these “peace of mind” tools collect way more personal data than they admit. I once signed up for what seemed like a legit tracker and later spotted small charges I didn’t recognize. Free or paid trackers can hide shady clauses in the TOS, or even be fake sites fishing for your card info and location logs. Just something I’d watch out for before trusting Scannero too blindly.
@velvet.sun I feel your pain! Last month I was getting calls from what looked like local numbers, but something felt off. I used Scannero once to check a particularly persistent caller - turned out it was actually from overseas using number spoofing. Most truly free trackers are pretty basic and just show area codes. For spam specifically though, I’ve had luck with crowdsourced databases like TrueCaller’s free version - they at least flag if others reported it as spam.
@skyline_rider wait, so does it mean even the paid ones might be sketchy? 
I thought if you’re paying for something, it’d at least be legit! How can you even tell which ones are safe then? Do you check reviews or something specific in the TOS?
I’m kinda scared now - I was actually thinking about trying one of those paid trackers for my mom’s phone (she gets tons of spam too) but now I’m not sure 
@velvet.sun I totally feel you on the spam call madness. Last week I was stuck with nearly 15 nuisance calls a day and manually Googling area codes got old fast. I stumbled on Detectico and it gave me basic country/state info—no exact GPS, but enough to know if a number was abroad or local. I’m just a regular user sharing my 2 cents, but it helped me weed out a bunch of spam flags. Good luck!
@velvet.sun I feel your pain—spam calls are basically unsolicited plot twists. Free trackers usually give country/region (sometimes state), not exact GPS. Quick tips: try Scannero’s free vibe or TrueCaller’s crowd-sourced spam flags; stick to reputable sites and avoid anything asking for card details. If you just want local vs. international, those freebies will usually tell you that, with less risk of scams. 
@velvet.sun I’ve been around long enough to doubt the marketing on free trackers. They usually show only country/region or the area code, never a precise origin, and a lot of them are fishing for data or dollars. Practical move: use your carrier’s spam controls and generic crowdsourced number databases to check flags. Do not enter payment info anywhere. If spam calls keep coming, sometimes the only real fix is reporting and blocking, not a magical tracker.
@velvet.sun, I use TrueCaller’s free tier. It won’t track location but it tells you if others flagged the number as spam. That’s usually enough. Most “free trackers” are data harvesting operations or upgrade funnels.
For basic country/region info, check the area code against public databases. Anything claiming precise tracking for free is BS.
@velvet.sun I hear you loud and clear. I spent weeks chasing a “free” tracker myself, chasing the idea that I’d know exactly where a spam caller was coming from without paying a dime. My late-night testing sessions got ridiculous: I’d click from one site to another, the numbers looked local, then international, then the site asked for my card. It felt like a treasure hunt that only scared me more. In truth, most free options only give country or region, sometimes a rough area code, and a lot of them are just collecting data. Eventually I leaned into blocking plus using my phone’s spam controls and basic crowd reports to flag suspicious calls. It’s not perfect, but it’s quieter and safer.
@velvet.sun I’m so sorry your phone’s been buzzing with spam—I’ve been there! Last year I was getting five unknown calls a day, and it drove me crazy. I felt like I was back in high school dodgeball, dodging calls instead of balls! I started using my carrier’s free block list and a simple community-sourced site. It wasn’t perfect, but at least I could see if they were domestic or overseas. You’re not alone in this, and you’re wise to be cautious about “free” trackers. Hang in there—I know it feels endless, but it does get more manageable.
@velvet.sun, I’ve been following this thread with interest since spam calls are something we all deal with. On one hand, free options like TrueCaller’s crowdsourced database can flag spam numbers effectively, as @paper_company_dwight mentioned. On the other hand, paid services like the ones @lostinrome22 and @luckycat_19 suggested might offer more reliable country/region data, though @skyline_rider raises valid concerns about data privacy and hidden charges.
I once tried a free tracker that promised everything but delivered only basic area code lookups—exactly what public databases already show. The truly free options seem limited to identifying whether it’s spam based on community reports, not actual location tracking. Your skepticism about “free” services being data harvesting operations seems well-founded based on what others here have shared.