If you have ever tried to use a reverse phone lookup service, you may initially thought it was going to be a great tool. Many reverse phone lookup services make claims that they can tell you who called you, just by you giving them a phone number. On top of that, some services even claim that they can give you personal information about the person that called, such as their address, where they work, their marital status, and more. However, upon using these services, many people end up feeling disappointed.
Problems with Database Maintenance
One of the biggest problems with reverse phone lookup services is that people move, and databases are not updated timely, or accurately. While the lookup service may have information about the number that called you, the information may not be accurate anymore as to who the number belongs to. On top of that, so much database aggregation takes place these days that it is hard to keep up with the correct information. In the past, people essentially had one choice to find phone numbers; a phone book. The information was submitted to the phone book, and when you wanted a phone number, you looked it up. However, now, with the internet, there are a multitude of companies that compile databases of people and businesses, and these databases are not, or can not, be updated as easily or quickly.
Problems with Cell Phone Databases
Further clouding the problem of reverse phone lookup services is the issue of cell phones. Cell phones are everywhere these days, and there is no public database of numbers. This is partly due to privacy restrictions, but also due to the fact that most cell phone service providers allow for customers to take their number with them if they switch companies. This means that it would be nearly impossible to keep up with who has which number at any given time. The cost alone in trying to build such a database would be immense and not cost effective. On top of all of this, as a result of telecommunications technology, people and businesses can set up phone numbers that act as a front, and are not actually the number they are calling from.
Do Your Own Reverse Lookup
For these reasons, many people who try to use a reverse phone lookup service do not get the results they want. They may try to find a number that called them, only to be given inaccurate information, or no information at all. Many reverse phone lookup services simply tell you where the area code is from, which you could easily lookup yourself online, or at a library. If you truly want to do a reverse phone lookup, you would need to find out where the number is from, and then discover who the service provider is for that number. If it is a landline, you may be able to call the service provider and request information. If it is a cell phone, chances are, the company will not be able to give you the information you are seeking.
Steven Farrell is the administrator of ReversePhoneLookup.org, a site where you can perform a reverse lookup for as little as $1.
