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Think of public records as the foundation of every investigation (professional or amateur) conducted in the U.S. today. Every major event of your life has been recorded in a public record format somewhere. Property records, birth records, death records; they are all there for those who are willing to look.

With very few exceptions (primarily medical records, although Google may change all that soon), an investigator, genealogist, or human resource professional may use public records to confirm employment application details, lookup street address information, find property values, or locate long-lost relatives with unprecidented ease and efficientcy. Credit header reports, marriage, divorce, and voter registration records are all either online, or available my fax or mail. Even driving records showing accidents, tickets, DUI’s, etc. are available in most states.

Advanced data mining technology and database intergration (led by leading public records agencies like Lexis-Nexis, Choicepoint & others) have created a virtual treasure trove of public records, all easily searchable right from you own computer. Family genealogy and locating missing relatives and army buddies has never been easier.

A generation of information technology has created an army of public record database suppliers who will provide expedient access to free public records from all states in the U.S. for a nominal fee.

More information on public records:

DMV Records

Social Security Numbers

It’s easy to underestimate the impact that a reverse phone lookup can have on an investigation at first glance. Knowing who a phone number is registered to doesn’t really tell you much, right? WRONG! A reverse phone search can set the course of an investigation, revive a cold case, or provide the critical data street address and customer name that exonerates a suspect.

If you have followed the news lately, a major federal indictment was handed down against several data brokers accused of using gray-area tactics to reverse phone numbers and obtain cell phone records. The customer list of these data brokers read like a who’s-who of law enforcement agencies (federal & state), attorneys & court employees. It gave the appearance that the general public is expected to petition the court to subpoena reverse lookup phone information from the telephone companies, while every other investigator involved in making and enforcing the law turned to their favorite P.I. for reverse phone lookups.

More recently, a major database mining company called Intelius announced public reverse phone lookup access to their huge database of cell phone numbers with corresponding name & addresses. The company quickly rescinded this access after considerable negative pressure from privacy advocate groups, but the secret that data mining companies have quietly collected correct and up-to-date name and address information on approximately 90% of current landline telephones, and almost 80% of current cell phone numbers were striking.

Read on for more reverse phone lookup information:

Cell Phone Numbers

Find Phone Numbers

Without debate, the most efficient and cost-effective people search investigative tool today is the reverse phone lookup. Landline telephone numbers and cell phone numbers alike can all be quickly reversed to a name and address from a number.

So exactly why is a reverse cell phone directory search so valuable to investigators?  Simply put, a reverse cell phone lookup (or unlisted reverse phone lookup) connects people to other people in a very expedient fashion, saving hours of people search labor and expense.  Whether performed as part of a criminal investigation, or by a spouse who’s concerned by possible infidelity, or just basic reservations about the honesty of a current or potential business partner, knowing who is at the other end of a phone number has been a priority for people since the inception of public telephone service.

Not long ago, the thought of someone conducting their own free people search investigations was simply ridiculous. Professional detectives were vital for their knowledge of where to go to get important investigative information. Now, that information is just a click away.

For years, our time was sent providing the reverse cell phone number lookup resources that our professional clients required to make informed business & personal decisions. The explosive growth in cell phone usage in the ’90’s meant that suddenly every drug dealer, con-artist, cheating spouse, shady businessman and deadbeat-dad sought the relative anonymity of a cell phone number to insulate themselves from their nefarious activities.

The general public was just as quick to embrace online people search and background check investigative services to reverse cell numbers, perform background checks, and locate people. Within a year, the reverse cell phone number lookup search became the most requested reverse lookup search ever, displacing the background check and free people search by a wide margin.

People across the county discovered what law enforcement and private investigators have known for years; free people search public record resources and online 411 database directories will always be useful, but nothing works better to find people by name and address than a cell phone directory search!

If you are trying to identify or reverse cell numbers, it helps to first be sure the number your are tracing is actually a cellular or mobile phone number. The reverse lookup tool found at fonefinder is excellent for that purpose! It can identify the state, city, and telephone company that controls the number you are interested in. Further, this tool will plainly identify if the subject number is a landline or cellular number.

NANPA.COM is the North American Numbering Plan Administration, and is responsible for the assignment of telephone numbers to phone companies in the U.S., Canada, and U.S. territories. They also have very helpful phone-related resources at their site. The ultimate reverse phone directory when it comes to mobile phone numbers, unlisted numbers, pager numbers, 800 toll-free numbers or anything else telephone number related is NeuStar, Inc. Neustar keeps track of the billing information (name and address, etc.) in real time for every active and recently disconnected telephone number in the U.S. and Canada! Of course, this ultimate reverse phone directory is off-limits to average people. It definitely will take someone with special access to obtain the information there! Wow, how cool would that be?!

ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY AND TERMS

By using the datahawk.com site, you certify that you will use any information obtained for lawfully acceptable purposes. Please be advised that it is against the law to use the information obtained from this site to stalk or harass others. Search requests on public officials, juveniles, and/or celebrities are strictly prohibited. Users who request information under false pretenses or use data obtained from this site in contravention of the law may be subject to civil & criminal penalties. All searches are subject to terms of use and applicable law. Information contained herein is derived from records that may have errors and/or not always be accurate or complete.

Datahawk.com’s Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) discloses the practices of Datahawk.com concerning personal information we obtain about you. By using any of Datahawk.com’s websites, or using other services of Datahawk.com (collectively the “Services”), you are accepting the practices described in this Policy.

This Policy notifies you of: (a) what personal information of yours is collected when you access this website and/or use the Services; (b) how the information is collected; (c) how the information is used and shared; (d) our efforts to maintain the security of Sensitive Information; and (e) other details concerning your personal information and our policies.

This Policy does not apply to the practices of companies that Datahawk.com does not own or control, or to people that we do not employ or manage. Information contained in this Policy may be changed or updated without notice at any time.

1. Information Collection and Use

Information collected is stored in a single, secure database, accessible only by Datahawk.com. Datahawk.com collects information from our paying members (“Members”) or other persons who use, attempt to use, or access Datahawk.com’s Services (“Users”):

1. Information that may be gathered online

This Site may collect three types of information from users who visit the Site: (1) information gathered by analyzing page views and user navigation patterns, and (2) information that users provide directly when they use any of our Services. We use page view and navigation information to ensure that users can find information on our web sites as quickly as possible. We use information collected when users upload documents to check their qualifications and verify their identity, as well as for billing purposes.

Certain other services may also require collecting personal information and/or registration. These services include, but are not limited to, subscribing to any of our mailing lists. If you choose not to register and provide personal information, you may not have access to those areas or products that require registration information.

2. Methods we Use for Gathering Information: Usage Tracking.

Datahawk.com analyzes user traffic patterns throughout its Sites. We do not attempt to identify individual visitors to our web sites, but we may collect data on general types of users based on domain name or browser type. This information is obtained directly from the user’s web browser identification information.

2. Our Services.

When a user registers for certain services, the user may be asked to provide certain information, including, but not limited to, your name, address, zip code, telephone number, email address, credit card or checking account number, and credit card expiration date. Once you register with us, you are not anonymous to us.

3.Cookies
A cookie is a short line of text that is created by a web site and stored in a file on your computer. Cookies are used to store information about your preferences and activity during and after your visit to a web site. Cookies are also used widely in electronic commerce programs to keep track of which items a user has selected for purchase. Cookies cannot gather any information from your computer other than which you provide directly or that which is provided routinely by your browser software. Any user has the right and ability to refuse or delete cookies. However, such refusal or deletion may prevent the user from properly using the site’s cookie-dependent features.

4. Use of Information

Information we collect is generally used for the following purposes:

1. To build features that will make the services available on our site easier to use. This includes faster search requests, better member support and timely notice of new services and special offers.

2. To improve our marketing and promotional efforts, to analyze site usage, improve our content and product offerings, and customize our sites content, layout, and services. These uses improve our Services and better tailor them to meet your needs.

3. To resolve disputes, troubleshoot problems and enforce our Terms and Conditions of Use. At times, we may look across multiple members or users to identify problems or resolve disputes, and in particular we may examine your information to identify members using multiple Member Ids or aliases.

4. Sharing of Information. Except as otherwise provided herein, the information we collect from you is shared with our marketing partners or other third parties. We may use the personal information that you supply to us and we may work with other third parties to bring selected retail opportunities to you via direct mail, email and telemarketing. Datahawk.com may sell or rent aggregated statistical information and user, member or former member specific information, including name, address, telephone number and payment information, to our marketing partners or other third-parties. If you want Datahawk.com to stop sharing information it has about you in the future, you may notify us of this fact by contacting Datahawk.com’s Member Services department at support AT Datahawk.com.

We reserve the right to disclose personal information, including Sensitive Information, when we believe that such disclosure is appropriate to comply with the law or a request by a government official, to protect the rights or property of Datahawk.com, or to enforce our Terms and Conditions of Use. In the event that Datahawk.com or substantially all of its assets are acquired by a third party, member information and Sensitive Information may be some of the transferred assets.

5. Agents

We employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf. Examples include fulfilling orders, delivering packages, sending postal mail and e-mail, removing repetitive information from member lists, analyzing data, providing marketing assistance, processing credit card payments, and providing member services. They have access to personal and Sensitive Information needed to perform their functions, but may not use it for other purposes.

6. Special Offers and Announcements

We send all new members a welcoming email or other notification to verify password and username. Active members and former members will occasionally receive information on products, services, special deals, and a newsletter.

7. Security

Datahawk.com takes every precaution to protect our users and members’ Sensitive Information, both online and offline. Your Sensitive Information is password-protected for your privacy and security.

Sensitive Information is also protected offline in our offices. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, a billing clerk or member services representative) are granted access to Sensitive Information. Furthermore, all employees are kept up-to-date on our security practices and changes in those practices. Finally, the servers that we store Sensitive Information on are kept in a secure environment. If you have any questions about the security at our website, you can send an email to support AT Datahawk.com.

Every User who has an account on this Site is responsible for (i) keeping his or her account password confidential and secured, (ii) restricting access to his or her computer; and (iii) keeping the e-mail address associated with that account current.

8. Other Sites

Datahawk.com forwards users and members to other sites. Please be aware that this website and Datahawk.com may not be responsible for the business and privacy practices of these other sites. We encourage you to be aware of this when you leave our site and to read the legal notices and privacy policies of each and every website you visit.

9. Correction/Updating Personal Information

If a Members’ personal information changes we will endeavor to provide a way to correct or update that members personal data provided to us. This can usually be done by contacting our Member Services Department.

10. Notification of Changes

If we decide to change our Policy, we will post these changes on this website or provide other notification of our revised Policy so our users and members are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and when we disclose it.

11. Children’s Online Privacy Protection

This website serves general users of the World Wide Web. This Site is intended for adult or adult supervised use. We support and comply with the Children’s Online Protection Act (COPPA) and we do not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13, nor do we share such information with third parties. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE PERSONS 13 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER PERMITTED TO SUBMIT CONTACT, DEMOGRAPHIC OR BILLING INFORMATION. Children under the age of 18 may use this website only with the involvement of a parent or guardian.

Undoubtedly, the first place to on someone’s possible criminal history is at the local courthouse. This is particularly true is the person you are researching has lived in the same area for quite some time.

Simply by calling the court clerk’s office (or going to the court in person), it’s possible to save yourself an immense amount of time and trouble by check for criminal records free. That’s right, free criminal records checks are just a phone call away. Note that some courts do have a policy that criminal record checks are only searched when you are there in person, but it doesn’t hurt to call and check anyway. If ANYONE is going to be on your property (landscapers, painters, etc.) , just pick up the phone and call the courthouse first. And if they are actually going to be inside your house, get an address history search done and check all of the courts in the counties that they have lived (in case they have moved around a lot and are new to your area).

Locating a person’s drivers license number for free can be fairly straightforward; our suggestion is to start at the county courthouse. Some courts will actually list the vehicle plate number along with the person’s driver’s license number! Pay a small fee, then walk out with the person’ name, address, driver’s license, and motor vehicle history.

After that, I usually do a a search by name to locate any case files that may contain any reference to a D.L. number that I record for later use if needed.

Getting a dmv (driving history) report once you have a license number can be a bit more difficult. The 1994 Drivers Protection Act severely restricts the permissible use and dissemination of information from the DMV in regards to a person’s driving history or dmv record. Still, plenty of options exist to take a license plate and reverse it to a name and address. In most states, if you order a records check from the dmv, you will have to certify that you have a permissible purpose for obtaining this sensitive information.

We have found that the most effective means of finding a person’s social security number is by visiting (or calling) the county courthouse where the person lives.

If that person has ever been sued, arrested, convicted, voted, gotten married, etc., chances are very high that the person’s SSN will be found there. If that doesn’t work, there are many data brokers who will obtain a person’s ssn (or a person’s date of birth) for a fee.

In the U.S., a social security number is the absolute most important “personal identifier”. Once you have someone’s ssn, your chances of finding a current street address for your subject jump to almost 100%.

A quick search using this info of the National Death Index is usually in order to determine is your people search should continue. Following that, use any of the publicly available databases like Net Detective to lookup a current address on that person. Or, use a private investigator or data broker for this people search. They will likely run a reverse ssn search against the ssn databases compiled by the major credit bureau’s for a fee.

If you are looking for a personal or business listed phone number, there are too many sources on the internet to list here for that. Some of the better one’s are anywho & whitepages.

If, however, you’re looking for someone’s unlisted phone number, the first place a detective would usually go is into the subject’s credit header report. Better than 70% of the time the subject will have used his/her unlisted phone number on a credit application, and bingo, there it is. If that fails, a public records search using a database tool like Lexis-Nexis can improve your chances of finding an elusive number.

And if that fails, there are plenty of sources on the internet that will find it for you, usually for less than $100. In fact, we are familiar with several detectives that have finagled direct access to the Neustar billing system, making it a snap to find phone numbers anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.

With the advent of the Internet, people searching has become one of America’s favorite pastimes. Everyone can think of someone that they would like to locate. Some are looking for old classmates, some will be trying to find an old flame, still others will be trying to find a missing relative or military buddy. The fact is, it’s actually fun and entertaining to track someone down.

A true free people search is just that; you will locate a person by using every free means at your disposal. This means that you will need to become very familiar with internet sources like Anywho, White Pages, InfoUSA, and countless others.

These resources will most often be able to provide a name or address (sometimes even a valid phone number) for the person search you are conducting. A starting point is what you are looking for to place a person in a particular area or town. (If you have someone’s social security number or dob, it can really make things a lot easier, but most free people searches start with just a name only.)

Once you narrow your people search subject to a specific area or town, marshal all of that areas’ public records repositories to assist your people search. Call the property recorders office, library, voter’s registration, marriage license office, civic clubs, chamber of commerce and any entity you can possibly think of to assist your people search, including the local sheriff’s office or telephone company.

For a people search of someone with a very common name, it most certainly will take much longer to find the right person unless you have the subject’s ssn, but don’t despair, be persistent in your free people search!

It is an excellent idea to check out the background of any person you plan to hire, or that will have contact with your finances, children or family for criminal records, arrests, convictions, or other offenses. Can you afford to discover that the likable new employee you hired is actually using an alias and is wanted on felony charges by the authorities?

What if the financial planner you have entrusted your children’s college fund to has a embezzlement conviction on his criminal record? Or worse yet, what if your child’s nanny, daycare worker, gym teacher, scout leader, or church worker is a convicted sex offender?

Compared to just a few years ago, most state, county & local businesses have made criminal background checks and drug testing a mandatory part of their hiring process. Your should do the same!

But the fact is that many convicted criminals move to other states after a prison term is completed or parole conditions have been satisfied. And not all of them will be happy carrying forward the negative baggage associated with their criminal past. Some convicts (particularly convicted sex offenders) will simply adopt a new persona using identity theft techniques to help them regain close contact with children, money, drugs, and unsuspecting persons.

So what can you do to protect yourself and your family? Insist on complete and detailed personal information on anyone you plan to hire for your business or for any work to be performed at your home, or for anyone who will be in close proximity to your children.

Demand a full name, address history for the last ten (10) years, social security number and date of birth. Call your local sheriff’s office to see if they have had any law enforcement related contact with the individual.

Some offices will even run a NCIC (National Crime Information Computer) criminal records check off-the-record for you! This law-enforcement only report is also known as a rap-sheet, and will list a person’s complete history of run-in’s with the law nationwide. In our opinion, this report should be available free of charge to any U.S. citizen who requests one.

Get to know your local sheriff, they can help!

For information regarding criminal records in background checks, please click here: Criminal Records