Archive for July, 2007

Sometimes, you may need to find an individual but all you have is their telephone number. Perhaps there are reasons why you do not want to call the person you are looking for. Maybe you need their mailing address or email address rather than their phone number. In these cases, it is easy to use the Internet to perform a reverse telephone number search.  With a reverse phone search, you are searching records using the phone number.  Sites that provide this free service include AnyWho and Reverse Address Directory, to name only a couple.  By using a search engine like Google with keywords like ‘reverse phone search‘ you can find pages and pages of web sites that can help you.

Of course, a free reverse phone search is only going to work if the phone number is a listed number currently in service. If you are unable to find the information you need through a search of this nature, there are two options available to you. You can hire a professional investigator, also known as a private detective, to find the information for you. Or, you can do the investigating yourself. Most people would rather do their own searching rather than pay the expensive fees of an investigative professional.

One option is to search on your own first, then hire a professional if you’re unable to find the information you’re looking for. A good first place to start is your local courthouse or library.  Here you can perform a public records search that may help you discover what you need to know.  Public records include things like bankruptcies, marriages, divorces, birth records and death records. Some localities have web sites where you can search for records online.  This is certainly easier than spending hours sifting through countless papers.

Sometimes, the information you need can be accessed with a simple search engine query.  Try entering the number into a search engine like Google or Yahoo.  Experiment with entering the number with and without dashes.  If you’re lucky, the number will be enough to lead you to the address, or at least the email address, of the person you are seeking.

A reverse search is one where you input the information you have in order to find out more about an individual. For example, you might have an address but need the name, phone number or email address of the person who lives there. In this case, a reverse address search and verification can be the perfect solution. There are free resources on the Internet that will allow you to perform a reverse address search quickly and easily.  Yahoo White Pages and Anywho are two examples of sites that offer free searches. It is important to understand that if a person has an unlisted telephone number, you may not be able to find it using a reverse address search.

In that case, you will need to conduct a paid search or hire a pro to help you. Web sites like Akiba, Intelius and Best People Search are good examples of sites which offer this service for a fee. Costs usually range between $25 to $100 depending on how in depth your search is. If you are uncomfortable using sites like these or don’t get the information you need, you just might have to hire an investigator if you are determined to track down the info.

Private investigators are going to charge anywhere from $50 to $100 per hour for their services. They may also charge you for other expenses like travel fees if applicable. Of course, different professionals offer different rates. To find the investigators available in your local area, simply check your Yellow Pages and start calling around for information. You may be able to find one who offers the service you need at a price you can afford.

Before you perform a free or paid search, or hire a private investigator, you should examine your motives for needing the information in the first place. If you are searching for an ex-love, for example, you should use discretion and think for awhile before doing anything drastic like tracking down their personal information. There are certainly valid reasons for performing reverse address searches, just make sure yours is one of them.

If you’ve got a Caller ID box attached to your telephone, you might find you are receiving calls from numbers you do not know. For example, you might constantly get calls from a toll-free number with no name associated with it. Some people get called by automatic dialers, and when they answer all they hear is a recorded message or sometimes nothing at all. Other times, there is a real person on the other end of the line, trying to sell you something. At these times, you wish you’d never answered the phone.

Or perhaps you didn’t answer the phone, but keep getting called by the same toll free number and want to know who it is? A reverse search will come in quite handy in this case. There are several sites where you can perform reverse lookups absolutely free. Toll Free Phone is a business directory that allows you to perform regular and reverse searches, and is a great way for businesses to get exposure. If you are a small business owner, listing your toll free number with Toll Free Phone is a good way to get your name and contact information out there so people can find you.

Toll Free Phone isn’t the only toll free number directory out there. You can find plenty more just by doing a search engine query. AT&T is a leader in the telephone industry who offers various free search tools on their website.  If you cannot find the information you need for free, it may be necessary to pay for a professional database search or even for a private investigator to search for you.

Perhaps the best way to avoid this in the first place is to take precautions with your privacy. When you call a toll free number, do so from a public phone rather than your home phone to avoid being added to mailing lists. There are now “Do Not Call” lists you can get on which keep you from receiving telemarketer calls. If bill collectors are harrassing you, request they send all correspondence through postal mail rather than telephone. Taking simple steps like these can prevent harrassment from toll free callers.