I got a text msg from a random number the other day. All it said was my name and a question mark. I obviously did not reply. I did the usual google search on the number but came up empty.
Anyone have suggestions on how to find out the owner of a cell number for free?
I never bother. If they don’t leave a message or call, it’s not important. If I get a second similar text, I block the number.
Thanks. Came up empty but not surprised. We’ll see how it goes.
I am also of the “if they don’t leave a message or call back I don’t call them back” camp.
If it was important they would leave a voice message. So it’s likely to be; a telemarketer, or a scammer trying to confirm your number. I/we are plagued by missed calls in Australia, usually by a mainland Chinese accented speaker.
How do I know? The missed call message is left on my phone “you have reached the Chinese Embassy in xx, press 1 for xx, press 2 for xxx. And I speak Chinese.
Occasionally, out of curiosity with persistent missed callers, or persistent unrecognised text numbers, I will call the number from a phone booth to see. It’s always a voice messaging system asking you to left a message, in the vein above, or advising the number can’t be connected.
So to paraphrase Lily Tomlin- it doesn’t matter how paranoid you are, it’s never enough to keep up! 
I have an app for that. Don’t use it much but it has come in handy a couple of times. ‎Reverse Lookup on the App Store