A reverse phone record is a record of a person’s ownership of a specific phone number. In the United States, phone numbers are specific to phones or locations. These are associated with the person who purchased or is otherwise listed as the owner of that line. When a phone number is called, the receiving line will pick up the number of the calling line, in many cases. In some situations, those receiving the call may not recognize the number. With a reverse phone record, the individual can uncover who is calling based on the incoming phone number.

There are limitations to reverse phone records. In nearly all situations, these records only contain information is a person’s or company’s name is on file for the number. This means that some reporting agency must document the name of the person and the number. This may include local phone directories, government agencies or even phone providers. When this information is available it can be stored in one of many databases and provided to those who request a reverse phone number lookup.

Reverse phone records are not public information in more than providing the name of the individual who owns the phone. More so, that information is not always considered public information either. Individual phone owners can elect to be placed on a do not call registry. If present on this list, no solicitations to that individual or number are possible to make. In addition, when a person obtains the phone number, or a business does so, the individual may request the name and identifying information about the phone to be kept private. In keeping this information private, there is no record of the name in connection to the phone number available.

A more detailed reverse phone record may be accessible under a court order. For example, if a law enforcement agency seeks out a warrant to search someone’s phone, the information contained in a reverse phone record could include more details including the number’s location, call length and any identifying information possible. This information can help to answer the questions individuals have regarding the information provided.

Reverse phone records can provide a range of information in some cases, including the individual owner’s name and address. In some searches, such as in landline numbers, the information will include details about the location. This is harder to do with cell phone information, though, without a court order. However, the registration of the location where the phone is used is often included in a reverse phone record search.

The most difficult aspect about these reverse phone records searches is having accurate information. Often times, databases are not updated and people change their phone numbers. In other cases, the information contains old data or incorrectly reported data from some agency. The information included is not considered 100 percent authentic in most situations. For those who wish to gather information about reverse phone records, do so using an online service for near instant results, but verify any information from a secondary source.