# Cell phone numbers go public?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-numbers-go-public/544232>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 23, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-numbers-go-public/544232 "2010-06-23T13:15:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-numbers-go-public/544232/1 "2010-06-23T13:15:12Z")

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I just got a forwarded chain e-mail claiming that cell phone numbers will go public “this month.” That means that telemarketers will be able to call them.

Any truth to this?

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**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-numbers-go-public/544232/2 "2010-06-23T13:24:53Z")

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That would be up to the individual cell companies if they wanted to provide a listing of their numbers to a phone book provider so I would say the email is likely either false or applies to only a small subsection of cell users.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-numbers-go-public/544232/3 "2010-06-23T13:28:31Z")

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I gave up my land line 6 or so years ago in favor of a cell phone. I’ve heard rumors all along about cell numbers going public and each time it has been bs.

Here’s a page [from snopes on the issue.](http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp)

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-numbers-go-public/544232/4 "2010-06-23T14:15:20Z")

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> [@kayaker](#):
>
> Here’s a page [from snopes on the issue.](http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp)

You know, I should have checked there first.

So should my dad, who sent me this. He’s well aware of snopes.

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**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-numbers-go-public/544232/5 "2010-06-23T15:53:08Z")

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I wonder how many of the people who forward these emails have their cell phone number on their publicly accessible facebook profile…

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**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-numbers-go-public/544232/6 "2010-06-23T18:11:16Z")

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Jeez louise, this email has just been circulated by local managment…and I work for AT&T! 😕:smack: