# Looking up phone number/Stalker question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851 "2003-06-27T21:12:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f0a364/32.png) [@Omar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/1 "2003-06-27T21:12:09Z")
Is there any legal way to reverse lookup a phone number that is not listed? Any places or web sites that offer these services? It basically involves a male, leaving notes on a female’s car, along with “hangup phone calls”. The phone calls usually have the Caller ID blocked, but twice the person forgot to block it. I believe that have “selective blocking” using \*67. They must have forgotten to use it. The police say that since the notes and calls are not of a threatening manner yet, there is not much they can do about it. But they are looking into it yet. Is there anyway that I can legally obtain info so that I know who is responsible? This is in CA, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/2 "2003-06-27T21:25:07Z")
You can try this [Reverse Phone Directory](http://www.reversephonedirectory.com/). ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/3 "2003-06-27T21:26:08Z")
Type the full number into Google. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/4 "2003-06-27T21:27:27Z")
I just tried the above on a friend’s unlisted number and it correctly ID’d it. ---
**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/5 "2003-06-27T21:35:52Z")
Omar, I’m not sure of your location but when I was having problems with blocked calls of a harassing nature I called the phone company. They gave me a code to put after the calls to trace them. This works even if the caller ID is blocked. The police can then access this log from the phone company. Unfortunately if the calls are only hangups they are not a threat and the police can’t do anything. But having a record of these calls and showing the progression from hangups to something more serious would probably help establish the stalking case. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/6 "2003-06-27T21:41:03Z")
The code **tanookie** is referring to is \*57. You need to dial it right after receiving the call you wish to trace, each time. The phone company will then make the trace logs available to law enforcement only. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/7 "2003-06-27T21:42:56Z")
My cousin sent me email recently about the Google thing. There’s an icon (looks like a phone) you can click and have them remove your listing from _their_ search service, but it cautions that other services (like Switchboard) aren’t affected by their change. I filled in their form and it said I’d know in 48 hours. I have yet to receive email confirmation on that but just checked it and it appears to have been handled as advertised. ---
**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/8 "2003-06-27T21:46:27Z")
Thanks Q.E.D … I drew a blank with all the codes they have for us to remember these days 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/9 "2003-06-27T22:04:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ringo \* > \*\*I just tried the above on a friend’s unlisted number and it correctly ID’d it. \*\* However, I tried it on my unlisted number, and it could find no listing. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/10 "2003-06-27T22:11:36Z")
Admittedly, I know very little about the inner workings of the phone company, but wouldn’t it be reasonable to be able to call the phone company and say “I want you to look up the last number to dial me, and block them from being able to dial me again”? Maybe things aren’t that simple, but it doesn’t seem like it should be impossible to do. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/11 "2003-06-27T22:17:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joe Random \* > \*\*Admittedly, I know very little about the inner workings of the phone company, but wouldn’t it be reasonable to be able to call the phone company and say “I want you to look up the last number to dial me, and block them from being able to dial me again”? > > Maybe things aren’t that simple, but it doesn’t seem like it should be impossible to do. \*\* Verizon offers a service like that. In addition to being able to program in up to 12 numbers to be blocked, you can also block the last number(s) called. It’s all automatic, you just have to subscribe to the service. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/12 "2003-06-27T22:19:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joe Random \* > **Admittedly, I know very little about the inner workings of the phone company, but wouldn’t it be reasonable to be able to call the phone company and say “I want you to look up the last number to dial me, and block them from being able to dial me again”?** There is a service called “Call Screen” (or at least that’s what it’s called here). It allows you to program numbers you want to block _and_ it allows you to “block the last number called” and that works even if the number doesn’t show up on you call display. (So even if the jerk tries \*67 or some protected number, it will be blocked.) A blocked number will get a recording that says that the recipient is “not accepting calls from that number.” However, the putz then just uses a payphone, a neighbours phone, or worse, sows up on your doorstep (yes, I had a little “problem” that required the Call Screen service.) My uncle in the U.S. also has a neat phone feature: If your number doesn’t show up on call display, a recording comes on and says “this number does not accept call from unidentified numbers” and you then have to key in your number so he can see who it is on his call display. If you want your number to be kept private, then tough luck, you can’t call him from that phone. ---
**Author:** ![Omar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f0a364/32.png) [@Omar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/13 "2003-06-28T00:36:18Z")
Ok, I used the reverse lookup that Ringo gave me. It only came up with: First Initial, Last Name City, State, Zipcode Actually, about 3 zipcodes, all adjacent to each other. Possible recent moves? No street address, for any of them, which is kind of vague. I found all of this using internet search engines. Is it against Straight Dope policy to post the public info that I found? The only reason I want to post it is that I am sure there are better detectives than me out there that can come up with a street address. My female friend has had this happen before, so she is really afraid of it escalating to “sexual perverse/doing harm” notes like before. I know the proper thing is to wait until it does escalate to that, but she wants to try to end this before it comes to that. I hope some can empathize. Sorry if this NOW falls outside of the “General Questions” category. Is there a better forum? ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/14 "2003-06-28T00:51:54Z")
**Actually, about 3 zipcodes, all adjacent to each other. Possible recent moves?** Is it possible that the prefix of the number has been assigned in each of those zip code areas? Sorry, just a WAG. Maybe one of the private investigator types could email you if they have the resources and knowledge to assist you. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-up-phone-number-stalker-question/184851/15 "2003-06-28T02:04:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*\*Omar \*\* > > Is it against Straight Dope policy to post the public info that I found? The only reason I want to post it is that I am sure there are better detectives than me out there that can come up with a street address. I sympathize, but we don’t even allow posting addresses and phone numbers of people with their permission. Posting the name and address of someone without their permission would be a Bad Idea. Are the notes being saved? Those might help build a case. **DrMatrix** - GQ Moderator