What the guides cover
How phone numbers work in the United States, what reverse lookup and people-search services can and can't tell you, how to opt out of listings, how to block unwanted calls, and how to recognize and respond to phone and text scams.
How the guides are put together
We base our guides on published rules and official consumer guidance, such as Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission materials, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the numbering plan rules for North America. Where a rule has a date attached, we give it. Carrier features and phone menus change often, so we describe what to look for and don't promise exact menu paths.
What we are not
We are not a phone company, a data broker or a people-search service. We don't run lookups, hold a database of numbers, or collect what you type into our number checker. We are not a government agency, and nothing here is legal advice.
How the site is paid for
Two pages, reverse lookup and people-search services, include a clearly marked partner slot for people-search services. If you use one, we may earn a commission. Partners don't see or approve our pages, and we explain the free alternatives first. Details are on the disclosure page.
Where to start
- Missed a call from a number you don't know: free ways to identify a caller.
- Getting too many robocalls: block spam calls.
- Worried a call was a scam: common phone scams, then what to do if you were scammed.
- Found your own details online: remove your listing.
Spotted an error?
Scams and rules change quickly. If something here is wrong or out of date, write to contact@phonenumberbook.com with the page and your source, and we'll correct it.
We can't identify callers or investigate individual scams. To report a scam, use reportfraud.ftc.gov. In an emergency, dial 911.