Reverse Phone Search: How You Can Find
Out Who's Hiding Behind Any Phone Number
Got a phone number but don't know who it is? Maybe you've
seen strange numbers showing up on your teenager's cell
phone bill. Or maybe you picked up a number to call about an
investment - but you suspect a scam. Or maybe you found a
mysterious number in your wife or husband's things. For
dozens of reasons, we find ourselves with a telephone number
- but no name.
You're itching to find out who it is. Not just for
curiosity's sake. The safety of your family or the security
of your bank account could be at stake. You need a way to
discover just whose phone number you have.
There's good news. You've got options. I'm a professional
writer and researcher. I've discovered four different ways
you can find out who's hiding behind any phone number. You
can:
- Call, pretending to be someone else
- Look it up in a published crisscross directory
- Befriend (or trick) someone at the phone company
- Go online and search
Let's see what's involved with each approach and discover
when they work best...
Call the Number
It's the simplest thing you can do. Pick up the phone and
call. But pretend to be someone else to avoid recognition.
When they answer, ask for a person with an unusual name not
likely to be there. Say something like "Hello, is Lilly
Becky there? No? Are you absolutely sure? Well, who am I
talking to then?" Be a little forceful. Even sound angry, as
if you think they're lying to you. This approach can rattle
the other person and make them reveal their identity.
Avoid this one if you're not comfortable acting. And make
sure you don't call from a number that can be traced back to
you!
Look in a
Crisscross Directory
Crisscross Directories have been around since the late 1800s.
They're like phone directories. But they organize their listings
by phone number, or street address, instead of name. These
directories are still available in print form even though most
of the information is also now available by computer.
Such cross-references are primarily designed for business use.
Usually, sales departments rely on them to conduct direct
marketing, build lists of sales leads and gather business
intelligence.
The drawback is that they're expensive - costing in the hundreds
of dollars or more. Still, you can usually find copies in your
library, especially for the local area you live in. If you're
looking beyond your own town, you probably won't be able to use
the free version in the library.
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Get an Inside
Connection
Having a buddy on the inside of the phone company was classic
approach for TV detectives. If you recall the Rockford Files or
Mannix or any other old private eye show, they were forever
pulling over to a pay phone and calling their friend, Ginger or
Susie or Maggie, at the telephone company. The friend would
dutifully give them whatever information the PI needed to pursue
the case.
Interestingly, this method actually works - even if it's a
little on the shady side. If you know someone at the phone
company, you can probably talk them into helping.
Unfortunately, they probably won't help you once a week like on
the TV shows. At some point your friend's better judgment will
take over. You'll be left with nothing but numbers again. (Makes
you wonder, doesn't it, just what the detective had that you
don't)
21st Century Answers - The Internet Search Solution
When it comes to finding out who's hiding behind a phone number,
the best way I've found is online search. Yet, search takes
time. And not finding what you want quickly gets very
frustrating.
To help, a number of businesses exist to make reverse phone
searching quicker and easier. These businesses have already
found the best sources for reverse phone searching. They take
you directly to the databases that have the information you
need. You can find out names, addresses, and much more, starting
with just a phone number.
Some of these Reverse Phone Lookup services are free. The better
ones cost a little. Quality always does, in my experience.
If, in your case, it's not that important to get accurate
information fast, then give the free services a shot. They're
mostly supported by pay for performance advertising, like
Adsense, which doesn't earn them much. That means the free
services rarely have the money to invest either in buying data
access or in creating more usable interfaces.
In my case, as a professional, getting quality information
quickly is important. I pay the small fee and get reliable
information.
But, even if I didn't write for a living and were just casually
looking up phone numbers from time to time, I'd still go with a
paid database service. The cost is minimal. Often a small,
one-time fee covers one to three years or even longer. If I only
looked up a number once or twice a year, it would still be worth
it in time saved.
Final Word
As important as it can be, finding out personal information with
just a phone number used to be nearly impossible. Today it can
be quick and easy. I've found four approaches that work, but one
proved the simplest and most effective. It's using a quality,
reverse-phone-search service online.
In a future article I'll talk about some of the reasons reverse
phone search can be so important in these times. You might be
surprised to hear how it not only can satisfy curiosity, it
could even save your life. |
