reverse cell phone number search
November 6, 2013 7:39 PM Subscribe
How to get information about a cell phone user with just the number when nothing comes up with cursory google search?
So I'm on okcupid and was recently talking to someone who basically gave me a completely fake identity. We were chatting for awhile and I figured out the profile/his entire story was BS and am pretty sure he gave me a fake name as well...after I figured out it was fake I wasn't going to meet up with him for my own safety(even though I wanted to just to see who showed up) so I called him out and am done with him. We were texting so I have a cell phone number and spoke briefly so I've heard the guy's voice.
This has never happened to me before and I am unbearably curious about this person...are there any reputable services out there where I could submit the cell phone number and at the very least find out what the person on the account's name is? I'm not talking about the ones that come up on a basic google search...those have turned up nothing.
I am even willing to pay a little...I found one site(spokeo) that was going to charge like $2.95 for a report on one phone number, which I would pay, but I don't want to pay $2.95 and get scammed. Spokeo has terrible reviews too... There has to be a name on this cell phone account, so how can I find it?
Could I go to the police department and get them to search the number? The other thing I would kind of like is if I could get some kind of basic criminal record pull with the number search...obviously I would need to pay for that, but again, don't want to get scammed. If I could just get an actual name though I could do my own google searching and probably satisfy my curiosity.
So how do I go about digging up info on this person short of hiring a private investigator?
Also just want to say that I don't feel like I'm in any danger, I just am unbearably curious.
So I'm on okcupid and was recently talking to someone who basically gave me a completely fake identity. We were chatting for awhile and I figured out the profile/his entire story was BS and am pretty sure he gave me a fake name as well...after I figured out it was fake I wasn't going to meet up with him for my own safety(even though I wanted to just to see who showed up) so I called him out and am done with him. We were texting so I have a cell phone number and spoke briefly so I've heard the guy's voice.
This has never happened to me before and I am unbearably curious about this person...are there any reputable services out there where I could submit the cell phone number and at the very least find out what the person on the account's name is? I'm not talking about the ones that come up on a basic google search...those have turned up nothing.
I am even willing to pay a little...I found one site(spokeo) that was going to charge like $2.95 for a report on one phone number, which I would pay, but I don't want to pay $2.95 and get scammed. Spokeo has terrible reviews too... There has to be a name on this cell phone account, so how can I find it?
Could I go to the police department and get them to search the number? The other thing I would kind of like is if I could get some kind of basic criminal record pull with the number search...obviously I would need to pay for that, but again, don't want to get scammed. If I could just get an actual name though I could do my own google searching and probably satisfy my curiosity.
So how do I go about digging up info on this person short of hiring a private investigator?
Also just want to say that I don't feel like I'm in any danger, I just am unbearably curious.
Could I go to the police department and get them to search the number?
No.
are there any reputable services out there where I could submit the cell phone number and at the very least find out what the person on the account's name is?
Sure, but you have ruled them out by stating you are not interested in a private investigator. Just fyi, in NYC you could expect to pay between $300 - $500 for the cell info and a comprehensive criminal history search for $350, a more basic search for $150 or so.
posted by mlis at 10:41 PM on November 6, 2013
No.
are there any reputable services out there where I could submit the cell phone number and at the very least find out what the person on the account's name is?
Sure, but you have ruled them out by stating you are not interested in a private investigator. Just fyi, in NYC you could expect to pay between $300 - $500 for the cell info and a comprehensive criminal history search for $350, a more basic search for $150 or so.
posted by mlis at 10:41 PM on November 6, 2013
He's either ugly, or married.
Can you search craigslist? He might be posting there too.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:34 AM on November 7, 2013
Can you search craigslist? He might be posting there too.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:34 AM on November 7, 2013
There has to be a name on this cell phone account, so how can I find it?
This is not necessarily true. If the guy is using a fake name online it is quite possible he got a prepaid phone at a 7-11 or somewhere with cash and tops it off with prepaid cards. When he activated the account he could use a fake name. Maybe the FBI or NSA can connect dots to put a real person with a fake name tied to a burner phone. So even if you do spend money on finding the name be prepared for it being the same fake name he gave you or another fake name.
posted by birdherder at 6:46 AM on November 7, 2013
This is not necessarily true. If the guy is using a fake name online it is quite possible he got a prepaid phone at a 7-11 or somewhere with cash and tops it off with prepaid cards. When he activated the account he could use a fake name. Maybe the FBI or NSA can connect dots to put a real person with a fake name tied to a burner phone. So even if you do spend money on finding the name be prepared for it being the same fake name he gave you or another fake name.
posted by birdherder at 6:46 AM on November 7, 2013
Response by poster: I'm not invested in this enough to pay $350 for a private investigator...which is why I'm looking for other reputable services. Also I didn't want to pay a lot because I am thinking I probably won't get a real name from the cell phone records - I think it could be an actual cell phone though because google tells me it's with verizon wireless. I guess it could be prepaid though.
So if I can't get any info from the cell phone I'm just going to drop it. Just figured I would try...
posted by fromageball at 7:45 AM on November 7, 2013
So if I can't get any info from the cell phone I'm just going to drop it. Just figured I would try...
posted by fromageball at 7:45 AM on November 7, 2013
You could try searching Facebook by phone number; the default privacy settings allow everyone to find you via your phone number, regardless of whether it's listed publicly on your profile.
posted by Jotnbeo at 7:52 PM on April 28, 2014
posted by Jotnbeo at 7:52 PM on April 28, 2014
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posted by jacquilynne at 9:06 PM on November 6, 2013