Ownership of mobile numbers

is there any way of finding out who owns a mobile number? It's a UK one. Or that it's still valid for the person who gave it to me? Longshot i know, but I'm anxious to trace someone who owes me money.

Let someone else call them

"er hello, is that ****"

Etc...

If it's a contract phone number then it's possible. Not sure possible by Joe Public but it can be done. If it's PAYG then not so sure.

As far as I'm aware, you wouldn't be able to get this information directly from anyone without them breaking the DPA.

There's a website (somewhere) that tells you which network a number is registered on (though I'm not sure if it does this based on the original network for the number, or the current network HLR that holds the number itself in case the number's been ported).

If you can confirm the network, you'd have a longshot with calling the customer services team for the network and asking them if the number is still registered to the person in question, though getting information from call-centre workers in this setting is like getting blood from a stone, as they're not aware of the finer points of the DPA, so tend to stone-wall. You could try pointing out that you're not seeking to obtain any personal information, as you already have them (name and number), you're just trying to confirm if it's correlated or not.

Edit: This is valid for contract mobiles only. If it's PAYG, I wouldn't even bother - most people never register a name/address to PAYG SIM cards.

Get someone to ring them up and just ask them if it is them.

[maviczap]

Law enforcement get these kind of details by a Production Order to the to the Mobile provider. Tain't easy and takes time I think. But is for Law Enforcement type work involving crime etc.

Not sure how you'd get the info. Private Eye's must be able to, so I'm sure you must be able to some how. Speak to their security section?

[JamesMio]

The sneaky way would be to phone each network's customer services - (vodafone/o2 etc) and enter the number that you're looking to trace the owner of as if it were your own.

Then, go through the options until you actually speak to someone and again give the mobile number as if you're wanting to speak to them about the account.

They'll then ask you to confirm your name, at which point you'd give them the name of whom you think it will be, if they then proceed onto asking for more security information then there's a very very very good chance that you've got tht right number/person and you can then just hang up the phone.

A little on the dodgy side? Perhaps, but it will very probably work.

[Quiff Wichard]

hey James good advice that - to a solicitor.. hee hee.. you do know what Ed does for a living.. Ed is mr Ethical..

Ed, the companies charge a HUGE amount of money for the information. It really is a ridiculous amount of money every time we submit the relevant forms.

I would imagine that if this person owes you a lot of money, there probably is something in the civil law which will allow you to ask for the information.

It's not huge, unpaid bill of about £450 or so. Every time I call the number rings out - I think this person knows that I want to talk to her and she's refusing to answer. Ah well, I've sued her today so she can reap the consequences - which are court fee £35, I can claim an additional £50 on issuing, and as and when I enter judgement - there is no defence - then I add another £55. But getting the cash might be a different matter as I'm not sure that she still lives at her old address (so query can I send the bailiff round), I don't know what her bank details are (so no possibility of a garnishee/third party debt order) and I don't know who she works for (so no attachment of earnings).

Next time she applies for credit, she'll get a nasty surprise, and will soon pick up the phone to complain that I've sued her.

This is going way off subject now, but it often happens - I entered judgement against another client and he applied for interest free credit in a shop and was declined. It's embarrassing when that happens and the shop assistant says it's because you have a county court judgement registered. He phoned up and went bananas - 'you have no f*ckin right' - oh yes I do, you should have paid your bill'. He has now applied to have my judgement set aside on the basis that it was 'no win no fee' - and this on a conveyancing matter (I would have been paid on completion but the sale fell through) - now you all know what I think of NWNF arrangements, and if you don't then you can surely guess - and in the original letter it's there in plain English that it ain't NWNF. Only problem for him is that he thinks it's a small claim, but the court never allocated to the small claims track cos I entered judgement before that stage, so I've claimed costs of a lengthy witness statement to defend my judgement - which are a lot more than I sued for - and as it was never allocated to the small claims track it ain't a small claim. Should have been a hearing in the county court last week but he applied for an adjournment claiming he had swine flu. Honestly, is that the best he can do...

Thank you for all your replies, I didn't think it would be easy. And someone who I won't name PMd me offering to call the number for me. Thank you, you are very kind and I appreciate the offer, but I'd get hanged if I did that as my regulator - the Solicitors Regulation Authority - would see it as a gross breach of confidentiality - worst luck!!!!!