# Toll-free number lookup? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 28, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toll-free-number-lookup/271595 "2004-10-28T01:26:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cheddarsnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cheddarsnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cheddarsnax)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toll-free-number-lookup/271595/1 "2004-10-28T01:26:02Z")
Just got a call that showed up on caller ID as “Toll Free” - and, indeed, the number was an 866 toll-free number. Is there a website where I can do a lookup on toll-free numbers to see who owns them? ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toll-free-number-lookup/271595/2 "2004-10-28T01:35:55Z")
Well, you can try [www.reversephonedirectory.com](http://www.reversephonedirectory.com), but I don’t know how well it does with toll-free numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Roboto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@Mr.Roboto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Roboto)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toll-free-number-lookup/271595/3 "2004-10-28T16:37:20Z")
Toll Free numbers are incoming only. An 800,866,877,700 etc. number is Remote Call-Forwarded to a Local Number. In the Olden days,WATS lines (both incoming & outgoing) would be brought to the business location. Outgoing WATS (Wide Area Telephone Service) are no longer installed. What happens when you dial the 866 number? it is toll free so you’ll reach the caller without charge to you. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toll-free-number-lookup/271595/4 "2004-10-28T16:42:36Z")
It is odd that a toll-free number showed up on caller ID, but I suppose if the caller had a two-way dedicated LD trunk, it might work… Anyway, you could try googling the number. I usually get a fairly good result googling 800 numbers. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toll-free-number-lookup/271595/5 "2004-10-28T19:14:21Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > Well, you can try [www.reversephonedirectory.com](http://www.reversephonedirectory.com), but I don’t know how well it does with toll-free numbers. Well, I have a toll free number for my pager (888). When I just searched at reversephonedirectory I got: > [@](#): > > No listing was found for the phone number you’ve entered. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toll-free-number-lookup/271595/6 "2004-10-28T21:22:42Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > Well, I have a toll free number for my pager (888). When I just searched at reversephonedirectory I got: Pagers and cellphones are, in effect, unlisted numbers, so the “lookup” routines never work for them. I believe there’s a service that will track down cellphone numbers, but they charge for it. I just tried some 800 numbers for a few businesses, and it’s hit or miss. Some of them, it gets - others, “no listing.” ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toll-free-number-lookup/271595/7 "2004-10-29T13:24:46Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > I just tried some 800 numbers for a few businesses, and it’s hit or miss. Some of them, it gets - others, “no listing.” Which is why I suggested Googling. Sometimes a business will not have their toll free nubmer lested, but it may be posted on a web site. Case in point: A client of mine does not want to shell out the extra $2/mo for an extra listing for their 800 number. So, when you plug in their 800 number into Google, you do not get an actual directory listing, but rather you get a link to a trade site which lists the company in a member directory.