If an unknown number has given you a call, or perhaps you have a number lying around with no name attached to it, a backwards phone lookup is just the ticket to solve your dilemma.

For listed landline numbers this normally isn't much of a problem. If you have call display these numbers will show up with additional information identifying the caller. These numbers can also be searched through in a number of free directories with decent results, though they may be outdated.

When the number is unlisted or is a cell phone number though, your options become a little less obvious. These numbers will not show in your call display with any information, nor can they be searched through at free databases. In fact hosting cell phone numbers in a free database is illegal, unless the owner of that number has given their permission for the company to do so.

You can overcome this by joining a backwards phone book site. These sites gather their data directly from the phone companies and service providers and offer the results to their customers for a small fee, making their service completely legal. These fees are usually one-time fees, and give you an unlimited number of searches for life.

Simply enter the number into the search box and you'll be instantly presented with the results, even more detailed than anything you could get through call display or other tracking methods. You will probably find yourself using it exclusively for listed landline numbers as well, for the amount of quality information they provide.