Welcome to Phonecorridor, here we shall be looking at ways to look up a phone number to know the owner. Yes, there is a way to look up a phone number and discover the owner’s name, where they live, what they do, and what they have done in the past.
In fact, there are several ways to look up a phone number. The plain old way is to input the phone number in any popular search engine and see what comes out — but this is like rolling dice. It is not reliable, and you are silently hoping to get double sixes. Even at that, you have to look through several pages of search results and crosscheck the phone number with what you know about the owner. But what if you don’t know anything about the owner? Isn’t that why you are looking up the number in the first place?
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A faster and more free way to look up a phone number is to perform a reverse phone search on a phone number database. But what is a phone number database? It is a white page for phone numbers, but online. This article lists five (10) online phone number databases and what you can expect to find with a reverse phone lookup on these sites.
1. AllAreaCodes
Over nearly two decades, AllAreaCodes has compiled a comprehensive phone numbers database in the United States. With over 90 million phone numbers compiled on this database, a phone number search will help you put a name to the strange number that called or texted you.
Not only that, but also, you will also see the registered caller’s full address, type of phone, and mobile carrier. AllAreaCode’s database is robust, but there is room for improvement. If the website cannot find a phone number, it will refer you to a paid option. However, the goal is to look up a phone number for free, so check the next best phone directory.
2. PhoneNumbers.org
PhoneNumbers.org is another free way to look up a phone number. When you start inputting a phone number on this website, it immediately returns the caller’s general location. As you provide more information, the search result gets more specific until you see the registered phone number owner and their full address.
Besides the modern design and fast search, one great thing about a reverse phone search on PhoneNumbers.org is that it returns all the registered phone number owners, including past and current. So, you can see who has owned or used the phone number over time. For instance, if you called an old friend, only to discover that another person uses the number, you can see when the new owner began to use the phone number. Besides listing the phone number owners, PhoneNumbers.org also provides information on known scams associated with that phone number. This feature is especially important, as 1 in 3 Americans has fallen for a phone scam at least once.
3. National Phone Numbers Registry
The National Phone Numbers Registry is another free website to look up phone numbers in the United States. However, unlike the aforementioned services, the search result here is not as comprehensive — you only get to see the caller’s general location. So, people look for phone numbers on the National Phone Numbers Registry for one major reason—to know if a phone number is associated with known scams. If you are going to use the National Phone Number Registry, you should use it with another reverse lookup service like Spy Dialer.
4. SpyDialer
SpyDialer is one of the most popular and free reverse phone search services out there. Looking up a phone number on the website takes longer than the aforementioned services, but you can look forward to seeing the registered owner’s full name and even address.
Recently, Spy Dialer introduced a feature where you can see how long a person has owned the phone number. This is especially useful if you are dealing with a business over the phone. Reputable businesses typically have verified phone numbers and have used the number for longer. However, this feature is not reliable, and you are better served by checking a reverse phone search site like PhoneNumbers.org for the length of ownership.
5. WhitePages
Over 30 million people trust WhitePages, and you can trust the service too. The site has a towering database of over 260 million phone numbers—the result of nearly 25 years of compiling US phone numbers. A reverse phone lookup on WhitePages will return the unknown caller’s full name, complete address, social media profiles, website, and length of ownership of the phone number. You will also see the spam risk, which is a function of how many persons have complained about unsolicited calls or texts from the phone number.
6. SpyTox
SpyTox is yet another completely free reverse phone lookup site you can use to find the name and contact information registered to an unknown number. You will have to go through a couple of verification steps to prove you are human, but the search is a smooth sail after that.
The results obtained via a test phone number search on SpyTox matched known information about a phone number, but there is more. SpyTox also provides access to the phone number owner’s social media information, address history, and court records. All of these make it a valuable tool for performing a comprehensive background check, even if all you know about the person is their phone number.
7. NumLookUp
Next to PhoneNumbers.org, NumLookup is another incredibly fast reverse phone lookup site. You will get your unknown caller’s information in less than ten (10) seconds. The research tells you the phone number owner’s name and reveals the mobile carrier and the type of number (landline, mobile, or VoIP). Of course, those features are pretty much standard on every reverse phone lookup site. NumLookUp stands out because it lets you call and text the number for free and anonymously.
8. Addresses
A reverse phone number search without going through frustrating multiple screens. Addresses.com provides you with free instant results on an unknown caller’s full name and contact address, down to the house number. Most people are content with this information — knowing who called them and where they live.
However, if you wish to take the search further and obtain a background report on the phone number owner, it’ll cost you. The service charge is because Addresses partners with a background check service provider to extend its services. It does not do background checks on its own. Other than that, looking up a phone number on Addresses.com is completely free.
9. ReversePhoneLookup
A phone number lookup on this website provides the phone number owner’s name and general address. That’s what you can get for free; no more, no less. However, if you wish to obtain additional information, such as the individual’s background information, you must pay a search fee.
10. PhoneLookup
PhoneLookup is not as robust as SpyDailer or WhitePages, but it is a decent —and free— way to look up a phone number. A general search will provide you with the unknown caller’s name if available, their general location, and the type of phone number. PhoneLookup may not be your first choice when it comes to looking up a phone number for free, but it is a worthy, free inclusion.
The Bottom-line
All of the websites listed above allow you to look up a phone number completely free, with no sneaky subscription or paywall. Until recently, phone companies used to compile the phone numbers of local residents and print hundreds of pages of white pages. However, these white pages were pricey, and only a few people could afford to buy one every other month. So, back then, if you need to look up a phone number for free, you would need to visit your local convenience store or the nearest phone booth. However, people were notorious for tearing pages off these phonebooks. Today, phonebooks have moved online, and several services let you look up phone numbers completely for free.
Note, however, that the information you obtain from these websites is not compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Of course, looking up a phone number on these databases is legal. However, you may not use the information obtained for official purposes like tenant screening or employment screening. You would need to perform FCRA-compliant background checks for those purposes. In the meantime, you can freely and legally look up a phone number for personal research and informational purposes.
