The site currently lists shortcuts to major service providers in 5 countries (Australia, Canada, USA, New Zealand and UK). Users can search the site by company name or browse by categories.

Features:

• Database of phone shortcuts that can be used to bypass automated robots and speak to a human.
• Currently lists only the companies based in 5 countries: Australia, Canada, USA, New Zeland and UK.
• Browse companies by category (banking, cable, government, telecommunication, insurance etc).
• Contribute by adding new numbers and reporting faulty ones.
• If the company you are looking for is not listed on IVRHacks then you may try searching for it on other similar websites like DialAHuman and GetHuman.

Check out IVR Hacks @ www.ivrhacks.com

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• GetHuman: Bypass Corp. Answering Machines
• DialAHuman: Bypass Answering Machines and Talk to Humans
• ContactHelp: Talk To A Real Person When Calling Hotlines
• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• WhitePages: Address and Phone Number Look Up

There are two ways to run a search:

1. Phone number look up – search for phone number by name or address.

2. Revers phone look up – search for name and address by phone number.

I have done few searches and the results were worryingly accurate (How the heck they know all of that?). In both cases the results show owner’s name, address, phone number and the occupation.

You can also register on the site, create your own listing and use it as your online profile. This way you have some level of control on what others see.

Additional features like free text messaging, area code look up, zip code look up and mobile carrier look up are provided as well.

Features:

• Find phone numbers and addresses online.
• List numbers and addresses of 180 million US adults.
• Search for numbers by address and name.
• Search for name and address by number.
• Mobile app and browser search add-ons are also supported.
• Additional services:
  – Free text messaging.
  - Area code look up.
  - ZIP code look up.
  - Mobile carrier look up.
• More similar sites in 15 Websites to Find People On The Internet.

Check out WhitePages @ www.whitepages.com

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• WikiWorldBook: Free Online Address Book
• ZabaSearch: Search People by Name, Address & Phone Number
• Spock : Free People Search
• Snitch.Name: Search Social Network Sites For People
• Folowen: Quick Social Profile Search

So if you received a strange phone call, enter the phone number into the field and click “Get Details”. If this number was reported before, you can read related user comments and share your own experience. If the number was not reported, leave your comments online so that others can benefit from this information.

Features:

• Identify strange callers online by looking up the phone number.
• Search user reports and read comments from those who received calls from the same number.
• Report strange phone numbers.
• Similar websites: NumberZoom and EveryCall.us

Check out WhoCallsMe @ www.whocallsme.com

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• PhoneSpamFilter: Stop Telemarketing Phone Calls
• NumberZoom: Trace Unknown Caller IDs and Telemarketers
• EveryCall.us: Easily Trace Calls From Unknown Numbers
• TrapCall: Lets You View Blocked Caller ID
• TemporaryInbox: Temporary Email Forwarding

The site lists information for hundreds of US companies and government offices. You can search for companies, browse them by categories view top searched, most viewed and recently added numbers.

Furthermore, the site lists information such as working hours, email addresses, and links to customer service websites if available.

Features:

• Bypass automated customer service and talk to human phone.
• The site lists numbers, tips and tricks for hundreds of US companies.
• Search and browse by categories.
• Also view working hours, email addresses, and links to customer service websites if available.
• Free and no registration.
• Similar websites:GetHuman and DialAHuman.

Check out CotactHelp @ www.contacthelp.com (via delicious)

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• IVRHacks: Bypass Automated Phone Systems
• GetHuman: Bypass Corp. Answering Machines
• DialAHuman: Bypass Answering Machines and Talk to Humans
• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• WhitePages: Address and Phone Number Look Up

• International dialing codes lookup.
• Simple and clutter free interface.
• Similar website: Tp2Location.

Check out SimpleCountryCodes @ www.simplecountrycodes.com (via Redferret)

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• FreeRinger: Make Free International Calls to Over 30 Countries
• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• WhitePages: Address and Phone Number Look Up
• ViaTalkFree : Free Calls within US and Canada
• TruPhone: Make Free or Low-cost International Calls from Mobile

As it mentions, “online IMVOCAL users can be reached on their IMs from any phone, anywhere in the
US, UK, France, Australia, Singapore and Japan.”

Update: The service has been discontinued. Another similar tool you can try is Numbr.

Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up with IMVocal (free).
2. Choose a 9 digit unique internet call-in indentifier (your vocal id).
3. Accept request to add IMVocal as a buddy in your IM client (Yahoo, Gtalk, AIM or MSN ).
4. A user can call you by dialling IMVocal’s country specific toll free no. followed by your vocal id.
5. You receive an incoming call on your IM. Simply accept it and start talking.
6. The caller can leave you a voicemail too if your are not online.

Feature overview:

• Get an internet phone number for your IM
• Currently supports GTalk, Yahoo, MSN and AOL more will be added.
• Supported countries: US, UK, Australia, Singapore, Japan.
• Display you number without revealing your identity.
• Get instant message and free voicemail alerts.

Check out IMVocal @ www.imvocal.com (Contributed by Abhijeet from Jeet Blog)

Update: The service has been discontinued. Another similar tool you can try is Numbr.

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• Yeigo: VoIP and Instant Messaging for Your Mobile
• Switchboard : Browser-to-Browser Internet Phone
• NimBuzz: IM and VoIP Client for Your Mobile
• LoudTalks : Cool Voice Messaging Tool
• Fring : Free Mobile Calling and Chat

It can be quite helpful for getting additional information on unknown numbers/IDs when you’re continuously being harassed by some telemarketer or collection agency. Moreover it gives an opportunity to check if there are other people experiencing same problem and whether anyone knows the location and contact details for that agency.

Being a wiki site NumberZoom also lets you add to the service by sharing your experience and contributing any additional information you might know regarding particular caller.

Features:

• User-created phone directory for telemarketer and other nuisance callers.
• Search and trace unknown caller IDs.
• See what others have said about that number.
• Contribute by sharing your experience and editing the existing content (sign up needed).
• Other similar websites: PhoneSpamFilter, CallerComplaints, DoNotCall and WhoCalled.US

Check out NumberZoom @ www.numberzoom.com

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• PhoneSpamFilter: Stop Telemarketing Phone Calls
• EveryCall.us: Easily Trace Calls From Unknown Numbers
• TrapCall: Lets You View Blocked Caller ID
• TemporaryInbox: Temporary Email Forwarding

- (1) Enter your friend’s phone number (incl. a country code) and press “CALL” button.
- (2) Ask your friend to call you back at the number displayed on their phone (you have 10 seconds).
- (3) Stay on the line and wait for your friend o dail he number and join you back on the call.

Features:

• Make free mobile and landline calls to 30+ countries worldwide.
• Make as many calls as you need. No restrictions.
• Recipients always asked to dial local numbers (same as calling a place in their neighborhood)
• See a list of supported countries here.
• Embed FreeRinger on your blog or website and allow your visitors to make free calls.
• Similar website: Evaphone.

You can try FreeRinger below.

Check out FreeRinger @ www.freeringer.biz

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• SimpleCountryCodes: Find out International Calling Codes
• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• WhitePages: Address and Phone Number Look Up
• ViaTalkFree : Free Calls within US and Canada
• TruPhone: Make Free or Low-cost International Calls from Mobile

From the page:

AtMyNumber makes exchanging email addresses easy. Your phone number can then be used as an email address, and you can still receive email in your preferred email account.

AtMyNumber does not store forwarded emails and you can quickly delete your account whenever you want.

How to get started?

(1) Sgnup for an account by entering the phone number you want to use as your email. Say something like 2125550123@atmynumber.com. (Note: It should be a 10-digit number from continental U.S or Canada.)

(2) Enter the email address where you want your emails to be forwarded. This can be your actual email address.

(3) Whenever someone sends you an email to your AtMyPhone address (ex. 2125550123@atmynumber.com) the email will be forwarded to your actual email address.

Features:

• Get an email address that matches your phone number.
• Forward incoming emails to any desired email
• Works only for US and Canadian phone numbers
• AtMyNumber does not store incoming emails

Check out AtMyNumber @ www.atmynumber.com

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• Zuplo: Cool Stationary Backgrounds for Your Emails
• YouSendIt Outlook: Send Emails with Large Attachments from Outlook
• YouSendIt
• Yahoo Go: Yahoo Apps on Your Mobile
• Xoopit: File Manager for Your Gmail Attachments

EveryCall.us is a website which lets you easily track such unknown numbers and also it lets you get more information about such numbers by letting you see who has commented about it in the past. Once you find out who exactly called you up, you can take further action. You may also post the number online for the benefit of others.

This website also maintains a top 100 list of annoying numbers (spammers) which you can download in CSV format to your computer. You can always take preemptive action by blocking such numbers in your phone.

Also check similar web services (US only) we have reviewed earlier:

* CallerComplaints – Database of Telemarketer Phone Numbers
* PhoneSpamFilter – Stop Telemarketing Phone Calls
* WhoCalled.US Tells You About That Call You Missed
* DoNotCall: Remove your Phone Number from Telemarketing Lists

Check out EveryCall.us @ www.everycall.us ( Contributed by Abhijeet from Jeet Blog )

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• PhoneSpamFilter: Stop Telemarketing Phone Calls
• NumberZoom: Trace Unknown Caller IDs and Telemarketers
• TrapCall: Lets You View Blocked Caller ID
• TemporaryInbox: Temporary Email Forwarding

How does it work?

(1) Register by picking your own URL (for example letscall.me/makeuseof) and adding your phone number.



(2) Whenever you need to post your phone number somewhere, simply share the link instead.

(3) When someone decides to contact you they can click on the link where there will be a field to input their number. Once they enter their number, LetsCall.Me will call and connect them with you.



(4) Your phone will ring showing the other person’s Caller ID.

Features:

• Accept calls without revealing your phone number.
• No caller id blocking – always know who’s calling you.
• Easily block unwanted callers.
• Free and easy to setup and use.

Check out LetsCall.Me @ www.letscall.me

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• TypoBuddy: Find Misspelled Items on Ebay & Craigslist
• Yakaz: Search Classified Ads on Over 7000 Sites at Once
• Woot: One Deal a Day
• Tinkomatic: Search Multiple Classified Sites At Once
• Shopnics: Compare Gadget Prices by Brand & Features

DialAHuman provides you with a database of direct access phone numbers and tips showing different key combinations that connect the caller directly to a human operator. You can browse the database by company name or by service category.

Features:

• Get direct phone numbers and combination tips to get to support personnel.
• Improve service by contributing a new and rating existing numbers.
• Lists only the companies based in United States.
• Browse company numbers alphabetically or by category (finance, government, hardware, insurance, internet, pharmaceutical, shipping, software stores and more).
• If the company you’re looking for isn’t listed then try searching for it on GetHuman

Check out DialAHuman @ www.dialahuman.com (via Lifehacker)

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• IVRHacks: Bypass Automated Phone Systems
• GetHuman: Bypass Corp. Answering Machines
• ContactHelp: Talk To A Real Person When Calling Hotlines
• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• WhitePages: Address and Phone Number Look Up

When you get a call from a telemarketer, go to the website and search for the phone number. If someone has already reported the number you can see what they say about it. In case you can’t find the number you might also try checking it on WhoCalled.US and CallerComplaints.

It further allows you to browse reported numbers by area code (see screenshot below). There is also a recent submissions sections showing latest complaints.

Other Features

• Reverse phone number lookup
• Request removal of incorrectly submitted phone numbers.
• Free scripts to automate telemarketer blocking on your PBX system.
• Watch funny pranks and videos about telemarketing calls.

While PhoneSpamFilter can help you find out who is calling you it doesn’t provide any simple means to block them. One way to block or at least considerably reduce the number of calls is to add your number to Telemarketing Do Not Call List.

Check out PhoneSpamFilter @ www.phonespamfilter.com

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• NumberZoom: Trace Unknown Caller IDs and Telemarketers
• EveryCall.us: Easily Trace Calls From Unknown Numbers
• TrapCall: Lets You View Blocked Caller ID
• TemporaryInbox: Temporary Email Forwarding

So how do you set it up? Simply complete the sign-up and you will be allocated a 10-digit Seattle phone number where people can send faxes or leave you voicemail messages. So as long as you’re fine with a Seattle area code, it’s a great free answering machine and fax-to-email service.

Features:

• Get a free online phone number for receiving fax messages and voicemail.
• Manage incoming fax and voicemail from one location.
• Download and save voice messages and fax files to your computer.
• Customize and record your personal call greetings.
• No restrictions on the number of faxes or voice messages you can receive.
• You can store online at most 20 messages, after that newest message will be erasing the oldest.
• All calls to your K7 number will incur standard charges. There are no surcharges or special charges.

Alos keep in mind that if your K7 number remains inactive for 30+ days then it will be terminated for non-use. You still will be able to register a new one but your number will be different. For more information go to K7 FAQ page.

Check out K7 @ www.k7.net

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• PrivatePhone: Free Private Phone Number
• YouMail : Store and Manage Voicemail Online
• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• WhitePages: Address and Phone Number Look Up
• Walabok : Let Anyone Send you a Video or Voice Message

Features:

• Type in the phone number and get its geographical location.
• At the moment TP2Location supports over 50 countries.
• Free. No email or registration required.

Tp2Location will only resolve the number to the city level. Therefore you can’t really use it if you want to get person’s address based on his/her phone number (aka reverse phone lookup service). One of such services is Sullr.

Check out Tp2Location @ [ www.tp2location.com ]

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• Wrapr: Cool Panoramic Image Viewer
• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• WhitePages: Address and Phone Number Look Up
• Wayfaring: Create & Share Custom Maps Online
• Vuvox: Create Visual Mashups from your Photos & Videos

Aditionally, CallerComplaints offers a free and easy way to file a public complaint against any phone number that spams you. Keep in mind though these complaints have almost no legal power over the telemarketers. For more effective complains you might want to try National Do Not Call Registry.

Features

• Find out more information about any phone number that spams you.
• See if anyone reported it before and how many people compained about it.
• Read recently filed complaints.
• Check out most searched numbers: last 7 days, last month, all time.
• Contribute by reporting telemerketer phone numbers.
• File pubic complaints against any number.

Check out CallerComplaints @ www.callercomplaints.com

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• DoNotCall: Remove your Phone Number from Telemarketing Lists
• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• TempInBox: Temporary Email Account
• SpamGourmet : Spam Blocker for your eMail
• ProQuo: Remove Personal Info. from Marketing Lists

Features:

• Find and report annoying unlisted (”name unavailable”) phone numbers.
• Extra: news, articles and videos related to telemarketing and robo-calling.

Check out 800notes @ www.800Notes.com

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• PrivatePhone: Free Private Phone Number
• Numbr: Disposable Phone Number
• CallerComplaints: Database of Telemarketer Phone Numbers
• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• WhoCalledUs: Uncover Unlisted Phone Numbers

Stuff you can do on PhoneSpell:

• Enter your full phone number and find out what memorable words or phrases it spells (see the image above).
• Type-in words and see what is the corresponding phone number.
• Enter the start of a number and see what words start with those digits.
• Enter lettered number and let PhoneSpell dial it for you.
• Got Nintendo Wii? Enter 16-digit Wii code and see if it spells out something fun and easy-to-remember.

For additional information and how to guides see PhoneSpell FAQ page.

Check out PhoneSpell @ www.phonespell.org

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• WhitePages: Address and Phone Number Look Up
• Viscosity : Modearn Art Generator
• Tp2Location : Resolve Phone Number to its Geographical Location
• TipBin : Share and Discover Cool Tips

Feature Overview

• Get direct phone numbers to support personnel.
• Read tips on how to get connected to human personnel.
• Browse companies alphabetically or by service category (credit, finance, government, hardware, insurance, internet, mobile, pharmaceutical, shipping, software stores, telco, travel, and tv/satellite).
• Improve service by rating existing numbers and adding new ones.
• Note: Service lists only US branch phone numbers.

Check out GetHuman @ www.gethuman.com

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• IVRHacks: Bypass Automated Phone Systems
• DialAHuman: Bypass Answering Machines and Talk to Humans
• ContactHelp: Talk To A Real Person When Calling Hotlines
• WhoCallsMe: Identify Unknown Callers
• WhitePages: Address and Phone Number Look Up

Update: PrivatePhone will be ending its service on December 15, 2007. As an alternative service, we recommend Numbr: Disposable Phone Number. Check it out.

PrivatePhone Features

• Get anonymous phone number that forwards all incoming calls to voicemail.
• Get a number with a local area code (available for most US cities).
• ‘Gotta Go Call’ Feature: Schedule a future call back on your phone with an automated message.
• Anonymously call back people who left you voicemail. Ten calls (of up to 10 minutes each) are included for FREE each month.
• Free callbacks are limited to the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
• Access your voicemail directly from your phone or log-in to your PrivatePhone account online.
• Set voicemail alerts to be sent to an email or to your mobile.
• Embed voicemail on your blog, website, etc.
• Store up to 10,000 voicemail messages. With a daily limit of 500 voicemails.
• Premium Accounts: Adds call forwarding and call screening features.
• Got Questions? More information can be found here.

PrivatePhone Promo: ‘Dick and Jane’

PrivatePhone Promo: ‘Bob’

Go to PrivatePhone www.privatephone.com

Update: PrivatePhone will be ending its service on December 15, 2007. As an alternative service, we recommend Numbr: Disposable Phone Number. Check it out.

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• Numbr: Disposable Phone Number
• YouMail : Store and Manage Voicemail Online
• Pinger: Free Voice Messages to Any Mobile
• PhoneVite
• K7 : Get Fax and Voicemail Messages in Your email

Numbr Features

• Get auto-expiring, anonymous phone number and forward incoming calls to any home or mobile number.
• Get disposable number via website or by dialing ‘(415) 234-5678′.
• Keep number alive for as long as you need. Set it to expire in an hour, day, week or month.
• Send callers directly to voicemail.
• Call History: Access all of your call-records online<./li>
• Re-activate expired numbers at any time.
• Spammers Blocker: Built-in filter to block off telemarketers.
• Block annoying callers with a click of a button.
• Get a local number in over 28 major US cities.
• Note: Although Numbr is a free service, depending on your carrier plan regular phone charges may apply.
• iNumbr widget: embed widget on your blog or profile page.

Visit Numbr [www.numbr.com]

• New: Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Recommended!
• MakeUseOf 'Geeky Fun' - Hillarious Geeky Pics and Videos from different parts of web.

• PrivatePhone: Free Private Phone Number
• TempInBox: Temporary Email Account
• SpamGourmet : Spam Blocker for your eMail
• Mintemail: Disposable Email Address
• Gishpuppy