With the extraordinary advances in technology and big data, reverse lookups have emerged as a growing trend across the world. From images to addresses, you can now run reverse searches on various data pieces and construct a more complete picture of just about anyone out there. Reverse phone searches, in particular, have become increasingly popular in recent times. And the result? The market is suddenly flooded with a host of reverse lookup sites, both large and small.
So, what are these sites really offering, and why are there so many of them? Let’s dig deep.
What is a reverse phone lookup site?
Before we discuss what’s driving the growth of these businesses, it’s first essential to understand the importance of what they are offering. A reverse phone search is similar to a typical name search, except that you’re using a contact number in the place of a name to run a background check. But unlike a name search, a reverse phone lookup could yield more accurate and specific information. After all, more than one person could have the same name. But only one individual could lay claim to a phone number.
And what could these reverse searches reveal? Depending on the website you use, you could unearth a remarkable amount of information about the subject of your search. If you’re not convinced, just type in a phone number on Nuwber. It’ll instantly dig up personal information like the name, address, email, age, marital status, education, employment, and even details of family, friends, neighbors, and associates. But it won’t stop there; it could even reveal information on assets, mortgages, vehicle ownership, debts, tax liens, bankruptcies, evictions, misdemeanors, felonies, and arrest records. That’s more than enough for you to piece together a full picture of pretty much anyone.
A basic search is often available for free on many of these websites. But you will need to sign up for a paid service to access more in-depth reports, which is how they earn money to sustain their services.
Reverse phone lookup sites vs. Google
So, why use a reverse phone lookup site when you can type in your search query on Google? The answer is simple. A Google search provides a list of relevant sites that make any reference to the phone number. So, it’s up to you to visit each website and scroll through its content to identify whether it truly bears any relevance. Now, this process could be extremely time-consuming. And in the end, it might not provide you much useful information either.
But a reverse phone lookup site can save you from all that hassle by screening only the relevant data. And they are just as fast as Google and other search engines. Besides, these websites continuously build and update massive databases containing millions of individual profiles. And they extract information from a range of public sources, including social media, third-party data sources, and federal, state, and county databases. It makes their profile reports much more comprehensive compared to what you can unearth from a simple Google search.
But why are there so many reverse phone lookup sites?
The popularity of reverse phone lookup sites lies in the specific benefits they could offer. Broadly speaking, these sites can help you in three types of critical situations—when you need to avoid a caller, verify someone’s identity, or simply find out who’s on the other side of a call.
Let’s look at each of them in more detail.
1. Avoid a caller
So, in what instances would you want to avoid a phone call? Picture this scenario. It’s one o’clock in the morning, and you wake up to the sound of an incoming call. The number is unfamiliar, but you decide to answer it anyway and was met with dead silence. You hang up annoyed, but the phone rings again after 10 seconds. You ignore it this time as it continues to ring. But you are split on how you should react. After all, it could be an innocent prank or someone with much more sinister intent.
But there are many other instances when you would want to identify a caller. Think about all those times you got harassed by unsolicited calls from telemarketers and robocalls. Of course, ignoring an unfamiliar number is easy. But before you do, you may want to confirm that it’s a number you should avoid. In moments like these, a reverse phone lookup site could be an essential resource.
2. Verify details
Sometimes, you may need to verify a phone number and its owner. Take, for instance, common phishing scams like lotteries, sweepstakes, fake charities, and even those impersonating reputed organizations like the IRS and banks. So, when you get a suspicious call, you’ll want to verify who’s behind it to ensure you don’t become a victim.
Even verifying the identity of a new tenant, neighbor, babysitter, or date could help ensure the safety and security of you and your loved ones. And with the help of a contact number, you can easily run a reverse search and verify their details with a background check.
3. Find out the caller’s identity
For instance, if you suspect your partner is cheating on you, a reverse phone lookup on a suspicious number might give you enough information to confirm your doubts.
But a reverse search could even become useful in more mundane day-to-day tasks. For example, there will be moments when you would like to know a caller’s identity before returning a missed call. Or you may need to deliver a package without an address. And if you only have a phone number, you can reverse search to find the associated address.
The benefits of a reverse phone search are certainly compelling. But before you sign up for a paid service, ensure you choose a reputed company. They will often have larger databases, increasing your chances of extracting more information.
