Looking for reverse phone lookup directories can become confusing. You may begin with a quick Google search, assuming it will automatically pop up and you'll have the information you desire with minimal effort. Yet what actually appears is a series of paid services which vary from under a dollar for one lookup to over fifteen dollars for a long term subscription.
Revising your search to specify free reverse phone lookup reveals even more pay services sneaking in claims to be free. They may allow you to type in the number free of charge and award you with very basic information such as the city or state, but if you want to obtain the more substantial information such as a name or address you will then be asked to pay.
Totally free reverse phone lookup is not possible at this point. Providers of this data go to great measures and even money to collect information such as unlisted landline numbers, cell phone numbers, and sometimes address histories. These businesses have no purpose to collect this information other than to make it available to you for a nominal charge.
Where you go from this point depends on how much you really need to identify the person connected to that phone number. In the age of identity fraud most people won't just pull up the first site they find and reveal their private information. Finding the most reputable services is just as crucial as when you buy clothing or pocketbooks online.
Finding the information you want isn't very hard, once you locate a proven lookup directory.
There are a growing number of competing websites all with different prices and offering different combinations of data. When you only need to identify the person registered with a particular phone number calling your home or want to identify exactly who your teenager is talking with in the middle of the night, you probably don't have the time to compare different websites.
The easiest answer may be to go with a brand that many of us have grown up with and access the online version of the white pages. There is a sense of security when you use a common household name that has been used for years. You can look up a phone number and get the most basic information here for free, including whether the number is a cell phone or home line and a map indicating the general location if it is a home or business. You won't get much more than that, especially if you are looking up a cell phone or a residential number that is unpublished.
Be aware at this point because there will be links on these pages that will deliver additional information, including registered names and residential addresses, for a fee. These links go to different sites, so you have left the security of the yellow pages website so you should verify the reputation of these services just as with any other. White pages itself is not going to give you much information other than a general location; you will have to look elsewhere for more, especially if you wish to know about a cell phone or unpublished number.
The easiest way to find reverse phone lookup directories for basic needs is to find a trustworthy database with a nominal one time charge collected with a secure payment system. If you just want a one time lookup then it is probably not worth the money to commit to a more detailed service. Find one that delivers a single lookup for a small price, often just a buck or two.
Paying a large fee for small amounts of information or being asked to secure information by delivering personal information by email or other non-secure methods are flashing warnings of a scam.