Cell Phone Numbers Database Now Online

Tools

Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Think your cell phone number is private? Think again! The nation's first online cell phone directory is now at your fingertips.

We talk on our cell phones just about everywhere so sometimes our conversations are a little less than private.

Cell phone user Brad Hakala says "we use our cell phones for everything. School Principal and everything. It's just a little bit more convenient."

But until recently, the only people calling us were people we gave our numbers.

Now, a company called Intelius has an online cell phone directory of 90 million numbers. Sort of a 411 for the wireless.

Cell phone user Nathan Hughes says "I have friends out there that I have lost contact with or never had a phone number for and you know, this would be a way of getting in touch with them. Yeah, people that I don't, if you don't want to be found than that's going to make it harder to do."

Cell phone user Joseph Bergen says "it makes it easy to find information which I like, but there are privacy concerns that I think over time those get ironed out."

One of the concerns is that no one explicitly gives Intelius their cell numbers to publish. The company gathers them from public sources like property records and sweepstakes lists.

Joe Ridout of Consumer Action says "to be able to sell peoples' cell phone information and unlisted information to anyone who wants to buy them is a fundamental violation of their privacy."

Consumer and privacy groups say another problem is that, though it just takes a few keystrokes to find a number on the website, you can't opt-out of the directory online.

Joe Ridout says "Intelius requires people to use the mail, to fax requests, to make copies of drivers licenses and other things. It's clearly an attempt to drag their feet and discourage as many opt outs as possible."

The intelius cell phone directory is the first of its kind, but likely not the last since one in about 10,000 only have a wireless phone.

Intelius couldn't comment because the company is in the process of going public. An IOP requires a quiet period in which the company is banned from promoting itself.

View comments

The following comments do not necessarily represent the views of WAGT. Users have agreed to these terms and in doing so accept full responsibility for their comments. Moderation is limited.

Wednesday, Dec 17 at 9:42 PM me in sc wrote ...

the easiest way around this is no cell phone; at one time in my business I had two pagers, two cell phones, and 5 email addresses. Now I have none except for one email address...and things sure are peaceful now......

13801918 Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Saturday, Sep 6 at 6:14 AM No_Longer_Amazed wrote ...

Is your phone number in the National No Call Registry? If not, or if you want to check, go to https://www.donotcall.gov/

6715479 Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Tuesday, Sep 2 at 10:25 PM Anthony Phillips wrote ...

Help Somebody! Provide Free,Co-Pay, Prescription Card, Discount on Lab Test, Discount on Diabetic supplies.

6587924 Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Wednesday, Jan 30 at 3:39 PM ATHENA wrote ...

What is the number for the Do Not Call registry for cell phones??

1997777 Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 500 Characters Left

WAGT and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. Comments are posted on site immediately and without station moderation. If you feel a comment is inappropriate you may flag it for review. For guidelines on flagging comments see our Terms & Conditions. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

I have read and agree to the terms

Hide comments

More Good Stuff

WAGT Weather

Click here for 7 Day Forecast
Icon
Current Temp 82.0 °F
Mostly Cloudy
More Weather

WAGT Weather

On Demand

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Viewer Poll

Do you think Aiken County's blue laws should be repealed?

  • Yes
  • No
  • I'm not sure

What's On Tonight Full Schedule