There was even legislation regarding it. If I remember correctly, the telephone department was not to let out any personal information on the basis of the phone numbers only.But the times have changed a lot.



Now we have the concept of reverse search. What it exactly means is that with the help of just a phone number you can find out all the personal information of a person that is available in the public records. You may get his registered name and address instantly.

There are many online services which provide this facility either for free or a small fee. You may find it unbelievable but for a small fee you may get the personal information which is available in public records like his criminal and civil cases, marriage and divorce details.

With a few clicks and a few dollars you can find out about anyones drunken driving arrests, his birth and adoption records, bankruptcy details, his family history, his FBI files and many other interesting stuff!

The list is exhaustive and scary!You can do all this anonymously, without the other person getting any wind of your probing. You may do all these searches from your PC too!

The reverse phone facility is actually a boon and a curse. It is a boon for employers and of course for all those love struck Romeos who are not getting any response from their lady loves. However, the telesales people and the salespersons are having a field day going through the available personal information and following up with incessant phone calls.

You may be in the middle of a luxurious shower or an important business meeting and suddenly you cell phone rings only to be offered a low interest loan especially for you. Fuming you slam the phone and wonder at the same time. How did she get my number? Well, so now you know the culprit is the reverse phone search service!

There has been a lot of debate going on regarding it because it is gross violation of a persons privacy. You may be going steady with the most eligible bachelor in the town and he can open your wardrobe of skeletons with the telephone number you gave him! And do not stay under the impression that cell phone numbers and the unlisted numbers are safe!

They are as prone to the problem as the landline connections. So next time you give out your phone number to anyone just pause and remember, you are not merely giving out your phone number, you are giving so much more of personal information which you would not have in any case. Or may be you should start thinking of setting the records right before giving out your number to anyone!