Searching for reverse phone lookup directories can get complicated. You may begin with a quick internet search, assuming it will automatically pop up and you'll have the information you need with minimal effort. Yet what actually comes up is a long list of paid directories which vary from under a dollar for one number search to over fifteen dollars for a long term subscription.

Editing your search to specify free reverse phone lookup reveals additional pay directories sneaking in claims that they are completely free. They may allow you to enter the number without mention of a fee and award you with very basic information such as the city or state, but if you need to obtain the useful details like a name or address you will once again be prompted to hand over a fee.

Completely free reverse phone lookup is not possible at this point. Providers of this data go to great efforts and even money to compile information such as unlisted residential numbers, cellular numbers, and sometimes address histories. These businesses have no use for this information other than to make it available to buyers for a minor charge.

whether you move forward from here depends on how badly you really desire to identify the person connected to that phone number. In the age of identity fraud many people won't just pull up the first site they find and hand over their private information. Finding the most reputable sites is just as important as when you buy tennis shoes or purses over the internet.

Finding the information you need isn't very difficult, once you locate a proven service.

There are a growing number of competitive websites all offering different prices and offering different combinations of data. When you simply need to know the person connected to a particular phone number calling your home or need to determine exactly who your teenager is talking with at all hours of the night, you may not have the patience to evaluate different services.

The easiest solution may be to go with a name that many people have grown up with and use the online version of the white pages. There is a sense of security when you use a well known household name that has been used for years. You can search a phone number and get the most basic information here free of charge, including if the number is a cell phone or landline and a map pinpointing the general location of a home or business. You won't receive much more than that, especially if you are researching 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, such as registered names and desired addresses, for a fee. These are links to other webpages, so you no longer necessarily have the familiarity of the white pages website so you need to verify the legitimacy of these databases just as with any other. White pages itself is not going to deliver much information besides a general location; you will need to search elsewhere for more, especially if you want to know about a cell phone or unlisted number.

The best way to access reverse phone lookup directories for basic information is to find a reputable directory with a small one time charge paid through a secure payment system. If you only need a one time number search then it is usually not worth the fee to commit to a more detailed directory. Find one that provides a single lookup for a small fee, often just a dollar or two.

Forking over a high charge for small amounts of information or being asked to secure information by sending financial information through email or other non-secure methods are flashing warnings of a scam.