Nobody likes businesses that offer something that sounds too good to be true - only to be disappointed when the results don't live up to the promise. And many wonder if this is the case with a free reverse cell phone lookup. If you do any search at all on this topic, you will undoubtedly find a large number of websites that offer this very thing.

But is it really possible?

Before that, let's define what exactly a reverse phone lookup is. Unlike a traditional "forward lookup", (where a search is performed of a name in search of number), a "reverse lookup" is performed by providing a number in search of a name, address, and other personal details.

Having a resource handy that can help you retrieve names and addresses for telephone numbers is useful in situations in which you have lost touch with a person but still have a phone number for. Or situations where you would like to identify the owner of an unknown call before dialing the number back. For these searches, you will find no small amount of websites on the Internet that offer visitors the ability to identify the owners of business numbers, toll-free numbers, and landline numbers.

The problem you are going to have is using these same directories to search mobile numbers. Free directories don't carry them. They also don't contain fax or unlisted numbers because these numbers are privately owned by the carriers that issued them.

So, is there a way to find these numbers for free?

The answer to the question is that there are many websites that offer users the ability to uncover this information, but the information is not free. The websites that make this information available to the general public not only have to pay for access themselves, but they also incur additional expenses to compile all of this information in one place plus the costs to operate their websites.

Because of all these reasons, anyone who wishes to obtain the results of a search will also be charged a nominal fee to retrieve information from these databases. Many directories offer customers a couple of payment options. The first option is to merely pay for the results of a single search. For people that think they may run more than a handful of searches within the coming year, there is also the option of buying a yearly membership.

Each directory may offer slightly different information depending on the original sources of their information. But you should typically look forward to finding out the caller's name, address history, relative information, wireless carrier information, and alternate telephone numbers owned.