Being able to access free public records is an invaluable asset in today’s world. Whether you want to uncover the identity behind an unknown caller or rekindle an old friendship, you can gather a wealth of information with the help of publicly available information.
Using someone’s phone number, you can get access to their email addresses, social media accounts, and even their criminal records. There are multiple ways to go about identifying someone from their phone number using public records. Read on to learn more.
5 Free Public Records Searches by Phone Number
From searching on social media platforms to using reverse lookup tools, we’ll delve into all of these solutions in detail in this article. The five methods below allow you to use free public records to search for someone by phone number.
1. Google
Google is the most widely used search engine and it has an incredibly large database which includes phone numbers and a plethora of other personal information.
To discover the identity of an unknown caller, all you have to do is copy and paste the number into the Google search bar.
If the person behind the number has shared it online (on sites like Facebook and LinkedIn), their profiles will pop up. Given that most apps these days offer people the option to sign up with their phone numbers, there’s a good chance this method will help you find more information about the unknown caller.
2. Reverse Phone Lookup
Reverse phone lookup sites have access to free public records, and most of them can find information in a matter of minutes if not seconds. Reverse phone lookup tools, like Information.com, are legal and inexpensive.
All you have to do is type in the phone number, and you’ll get access to the caller’s name and address. Depending on which site you use, you might also be able to see their email address, criminal records, and property records.
These sites consolidate information from numerous sources, which is why they’re so much more powerful than other methods on the list.
Also Read: Top 5 Ways to Secure Your iPhone
3. Local Government Websites
There are many local government websites that host a wide range of information about people. Of course, this also depends on where you live, but in the US, you can look at your county assessor’s website, licensing and permitting websites, and municipal court websites.
Many of these websites have property records, marriage records, business listings, and information about legal cases. You may not find everything online, though, and sometimes, you’ll have to contact the office or even visit it in person to get access to more information.
4. Social Media
This method is easy and free. Some people choose to keep their numbers private at the time of registration, but many don’t. According to CBC, many users on Facebook leave their data “publicly exposed,” even today.
By typing the phone number into the site’s search bar, you might be able to find out the identity of the unknown caller.
Another way to find someone by their phone number is to allow social media apps to access your contacts. If the person has created a social media profile, it’ll appear in the “recommendations” section (depending on which social media app you use, this section may have a different name). You’ll then be able to send them a message or even look at their photos if their profile isn’t set to private.
5. Contact the Phone Carrier
In most cases, phone carriers will refuse to share any details about a phone number, but they might agree to cooperate if you’re being harassed or bullied. Even then, they’ll choose to share the details directly with the police instead of you.
You should only contact the phone carrier if it’s absolutely necessary and within the bounds of local laws and regulations. You’ll have to explain your situation to the phone carrier, but it’s ultimately up to their discretion to decide whether to help you or not.
Find Out Who’s Calling You
Finding information about an unknown caller isn’t too challenging these days. There are numerous legal methods you can use to find out who’s been calling you. Simply looking it up on Google is perhaps everyone’s first instinct.
But there are other, more powerful methods available now. Using a phone number lookup site, for example, will help you find detailed personal information without paying a significant amount of money or spending a lot of time searching. With the help of such sites, you can get rid of spam callers and reconnect with friends from your past or long-lost relatives.
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