If you ever need to find a name, telephone number or email address and all you have to go by is a street address, you can use reverse address lookup. A reverse address lookup is a free online service offered through a variety of web sites.

For example, you can search using a name, telephone number, or simply a street address. You may be wondering why you would ever need to perform a search of this nature. Let's suppose you have the mailing address of an old friend, but have lost their telephone number. By performing a reverse address lookup, you can be chatting on the phone with your pal in minutes. That is, as long as they have a listed telephone number.

A reverse address search won't work on unlisted numbers because they are just that - unlisted. The owner of the number has requested that their number not be included in any directories. Some people use their cell phone instead of a land line. A reverse address search cannot pull up cell phone numbers.

If you find that the individual or business you are seeking through reverse address search does have an unlisted number, there are still some ways to find them. You could employ a private investigator, or do some detective work yourself. This might include checking courthouse records or contacting mutual friends or family members to request the information.

Before you even think about performing a reverse address lookup or using alternative ways of finding contact information for someone, make sure you are doing so for reasons that are ethical and appropriate. If you think the person you're looking for may not want to hear from you, writing a brief email or letter to test the waters may be better than calling. Of course, if you're looking for a business telephone number, these considerations do not apply. Many people remember the locations of favorite places but cannot track down the phone number, which is where a free address lookup can come in handy.

If you get lucky and the person you are looking for has a listed telephone number, a reverse address search can pull it up in just a few seconds. It's so simple to do that even someone who is new to the computer can do it. Simply type in the street address, state and zip code in the appropriate fields and click the Submit button. That's all there is to this amazingly simple process. Thanks to the World Wide Web, it's never been faster or easier to locate most anyone, anywhere!