Cell Phone Numbers Database Now Online

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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.

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The following comments do not necessarily represent the views of NBC Augusta 26 | news, weather, sports, community, entertainment, shopping for Augusta, Georgia. Users have agreed to these terms and in doing so accept full responsibility for their comments. Moderation is limited.

Tuesday, Jul 21 at 12:28 PM Jackson wrote ...

Its very good.But Cell phones number record should be private.Best USA Nokia Cellphones shop.

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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
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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
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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.

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

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

1997777
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