Phone numbers are an excellent tool to use when beginning a search for a person. Most people have at least one phone and the numbers tend to be attached to other important information such as addresses. Scam artists and telemarketers alike use phone numbers as a way to get additional information about people.
Scammers may call disguised as a bank employee or another person of trust. It is quite easy to find out who is calling by verifying the caller’s identity online. But, before a person starts using telephone numbers to mine for information, it is important to know some basics laws that come with telephone numbers.
Forward and Reverse Searching:
A forward phone number search is a search that allows a person to type in someone’s name and receive the sought after person’s phone number. A reverse search is just the opposite. By typing in a phone number, the search would find the owner information attached to that number. This information would include things like names, addresses, and possibly other contact material.
Forward and reverse phone searches are completely legal for land-line numbers, but forward phone searches are illegal for cell phone numbers. Cell phone numbers are not part of public record, which means a number of things. First, it means that telemarketing companies cannot access a person’s cell phone number easily, which is why cell phone telemarketing calls are rare.
Second, it means that any site that offers forward cell phone searches needs to be investigated carefully. There are certain websites that offer opt-in cell phone number directories, but they are limited in scope. So, if a site seems to be offering forward cell phone lookups, be careful!
Cell Phone Numbers Going Public:
Recently, there have been rumors circulating the internet stating that cell phone numbers are going public. This would allow telemarketing companies to gain access to cell phone numbers and thus use them for solicitation. Along with this is the additional scare tactic that people would be charged for these telemarketing calls. These rumors are false!
If telemarketing calls are a problem, there is an easy ways to solve it. Simply sign up on the ‘National Do Not Call Registry.’ The number is 1-888-382-1222. If, after 31 days from signing up on the registry, telemarketing calls are still being a plague, then there is again, an easy option. File a formal complaint at donotcall.gov.
Tracking Down Callers:
Besides telemarketers, there are many other non-corporate actors who wish to invade people’s privacy with annoying calls. Whether there are calls coming in that are from scam artists or prank callers, these people are violating your privacy and should be dealt with.
Discovering a phone number’s owner information can be done quickly and easily through sites such as reversephonedetective.com. In fact, if a computer were close by when the call came in, there would probably be enough time to look up the number’s information while the person was still on the line.
Depending on who the caller was, and what that person’s objective was, will the actions that someone would want to take to in response. If the caller was attempting to obtain personal facts, then it may be a good idea to go to the police with the information that is discovered from that person’s phone number. If the caller simply wants to know if your refrigerator is running, then probably a quick call to the kid’s mother will handle the situation.
There are more than enough worries and concerns in the world, and dealing with annoying callers need not be one of them.
