Looking for reverse phone lookup services can become confusing. You may begin with a quick internet search, hoping it will automatically pop up and you'll discover the information you need with minimal effort. Yet what actually appears is a series of paid services which range from less than a buck for one lookup to upwards of fifteen dollars for a long term subscription.

Changing your search to indicate free reverse phone lookup brings even more pay directories advertising claims to be free. They may allow you to type in the number without mention of a fee and award you with very basic information such as the city and state, but if you need to get the more substantial details such as a name or address you will once again be asked to pay.

Totally free reverse phone lookup does not exist. Providers of this data go to great efforts and even money to compile information like unpublished home phone numbers, cell phone numbers, and even address histories. They have no use for this information other than to deliver it to you for a nominal fee.

how you proceed from here depends on how badly you really desire to reveal the name behind that phone number. In the age of identity fraud most people won't just pick the cheapest site and enter their personal information. Finding the most reputable sites is just as necessary as when you purchase clothing or purses through the web.

Getting the information you desire isn't very difficult, once you locate a legitimate source.

There are many competitive websites all offering different fees and offering different combinations of information. When you only want to identify the name behind a strange number calling your home or need to identify exactly who your teenager is chatting with at all hours of the night, you probably don't have the time to rate different websites.

The most effective answer may be to go with a brand that many people have grown up with and use the online version of the yellow pages. There is a sense of legitimacy with a well known household name that has been trusted for years. You can search a phone number and get very basic information here without a fee, including whether the number is a cell phone or home line and a map pinpointing the general location if it is 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 unlisted.

Be aware at this point because there will be links from these pages that promise more detailed information, like names and specific addresses, for a charge. These links go to different sites, so you have left the security of the white pages website so you need to verify the security of these services just like any other. White pages itself is not going to give you much information other than a general location; you will need to search elsewhere for anything else, especially if you want to research a cell phone or unpublished number.

The best way to find reverse phone lookup directories for basic needs is to go to a proven database with a nominal one time charge paid with a secure payment system. If you only need a one time lookup then it is usually not worth the charge to commit to a unlimited directory. Find one that offers a one time search for a minor charge, often just a buck or two.

Shelling out a high charge for small amounts of information or being asked to secure information by sending financial information by email or other non-secure methods are obvious signs of a scam.