Reverse Cell Phone Lookup

Understandably, many people may take issue with the fact that sensitive information -- such as mobile numbers -- is available to the general public via mobile device tracing websites.

You Can Opt Out of Reverse Cell Phone Lookup Services

First and foremost, it is important to remember that, at any time, you can opt out of reverse cell phone lookup services. For example, Free Phone Tracer has an opt-out form for anyone who is uncomfortable with their phone numbers being searchable in their database. Any other respectable reverse number lookup service worth its salt will also have such measures in place.

Additionally, don't worry about telemarketers using these services to find your number. They can't, by law. These sites, as a result do not allow "forward search" for mobile devices -- in other words, telemarketers must know a specific mobile number and work backwards from there. They can't just find your personal contact information.

The Benefits of Being Available With "Find a Phone Number" Services

Now that we've established how easy it is to opt out of these services, it is worth considering why you might not want to.

If your contact information is searchable in these directories -- as it is by default -- then someone can find your name simply by typing your number into the database. While to some, this may seem like a creepy boundary violation, it can actually be an incredibly valuable tool to make sure that you are more reachable.

Here's an example: let's say you find a piece of scratch paper with someone's mobile number written on it, but you have no idea whose number it is. While you're certain you knew whose number this was at one point, you can't recall now. Ten years ago, you would have been out of luck -- reverse number lookup services did not exist to any significant degree, and the ones that did were exorbitantly expensive. However, you can now look up someone's name through a reverse search and remember whose name was associated with the contact information in question.

Reverse Cell Phone Lookups: A Perspective on Privacy

It is also worth getting some perspective. Many people who are significantly worried about privacy and cell devices make very good points: some individuals -- particularly individuals with sensitive situations -- do not want their mobile devices to be traceable. However, this is by no means the majority of the population. Many people are willing to post their geo-location data over Twitter, Facebook and Google+. The fact that someone can pay money to find a name associated with a cell phone number is the bottom of the barrel when it comes to truly egregious privacy concerns.