This article was originally written in 2010, but a lot has changed since then. We've since updated the post with the most current information.

Have you ever wondered whom a phone number belongs to? Maybe some spammer keeps calling you, or you're doing research on a person. Whatever the reason, a pair of phonebook-style websites can provide some helpful information for your quest.

The first is Cell Revealer. Enter a U.S.-based phone number and you can find some basic information about it: whether the number you entered is a landline or mobile phone and the city/state of origin. Cell Revealer also tells you what carrier/company (Sprint, Verizon, etc.) powers the line.

Cell Revealer provides this info for free, but offers a "full report" too. These allegedly include relatives, date of birth, and aliases. Of course, the reports aren't free, and redirect you to another site called PeopleFinders. You can buy a single report for $10.

Frankly, these sites are a dime a dozen and there's no guarantee that the information you're looking for will be available on these pages. We recommend sticking to the free information for the basics and foregoing the reports.

A similar site is Phone Lookup. After entering a number, you'll see the general location of its owner and whether it's a cell or landline phone. This one doesn't offer much else, aside from letting you add a comment/complaint for political calls, telemarketers, and the like.

However, the lack of "reporting" options asking you to pay for more information is refreshing. This one is worth a try if Cell Revealer doesn't find anything.

You might not find everything out about a number with these sites, but they at least give you a starting point. If a number calls pretending to be someone you know and you find out it's across the country, you'll know it's a sham.

Did these sites help you find information on a phone number? Do you use another site for this information? Tell us in the comments!

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