How to Find a Person With an Unlisted Phone Number

If someone you're looking for has an unlisted phone number, chances are, they don't want to be found. On the other hand, lots of migratory individuals are unlisted without any special concern on their part. Either way, you'll have to use your head to reach someone who is not listed in the phone book. Always be legal and safe when trying to contact those who would prefer to remain unnoticed.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Use the person's workplace connections. You can call up the person's employer or a board that the individual serves on and try to contact them that way. If they're in business for themselves, call their shop number and tell them you need to reach the owner.
2. Leave messages for return calls. Make your own number available to get the other person to call you back. Leave your information with friends, co-workers and others close to the person you are trying to find. This is a good way to at least attempt contact if, for example, you're a reporter trying to fact-check a story or include opportunity for comment.
3. Call relatives. If you're really desperate, you might even end up calling everybody in the phone book with the same last name as your target contact, but in that case, you'll quickly figure out what it means to rely on the kindness of strangers.
4. Utilize the Internet. Lots of people without a listed phone number have multiple contacts over websites, online business listings or other Web-based services. Take a quick look on Google or Yahoo to see if you can get results that way.
5. Take your time and be thorough. Lots of times, a contact comes through a series of steps, and takes a lot of work and perseverance. Explore all avenues and leave no stone unturned.

Tips & Warnings

• When Internet searching, don't be too quick to jump on pay-for-contact-info pages, which abound on the Web. All of them claim to be able to deliver detailed contact information (their demos show a list of names and the promise of more) but they will not always be able to help you. If you have some money to throw around, go for it. Otherwise, give it some thought before signing up.