OT - Is there any way in the UK to trace the owner of a mobile phone?

[Uncle C]

Getting a name and address seems impossible.

 

[beorhthelm]

stalking isn't like it used to be with the old phone book. on the other hand, Facebook give improved opportunities to track someone.

 

[Acker79]

Do you have the phone and are looking to return it, or do you just have a number?

 

[Uncle C]

Do you have the phone and are looking to return it, or do you just have a number?

I have the mobile number of a rogue trader who upset an elderly lady and wish to find who it is and where they are based.

 

[spring hall convert]

Getting a name and address seems impossible.

I know this may be teaching grandmother to suck eggs but have you tried typing it into google? Very occasionally if it is attached to a business, you may get a result.

 

[clippedgull]

I have the mobile number of a rogue trader who upset an elderly lady and wish to find who it is and where they are based.

Ring it, ask rogue trader to visit under the pretence of a job.

 

[Uncle C]

I know this may be teaching grandmother to suck eggs but have you tried typing it into google? Very occasionally if it is attached to a business, you may get a result.

Yes it has come up with similar adverts and indeed he is using a second mobile number to put out the same adverts, but no hint of a name or location.

 

[Uncle C]

Ring it, ask rogue trader to visit under the pretence of a job.

There's no way he will come back to the same address (region) and is not answering the phone (to me) or responding to texts.

 

[Springal]

What are the company names, or is it a sole trader ?

 

[Uncle C]

What are the company names, or is it a sole trader ?

Its a sole trader who is not always honest about the fact he is a trader.

 

[fork me]

Getting a name and address seems impossible.

It depends on a lot. It's easier with contract numbers and can be difficult to impossible with PAYG numbers.

The police can sometimes (but not always) do it if a crime has been committed from it.

When I had incidences of kids being bullied by text the easiest way was usually just to phone it.

Me, "Hello, who is this?"
Child "<name>"
Me, "It's Mr X here get to my office immediately".

You'd be amazed how often it worked!

 

[fork me]

Its a sole trader who is not always honest about the fact he is a trader.

Why are you trying to deal with this yourself? That's what the police and trading standards are for...

 

[KZNSeagull]

Its a sole trader who is not always honest about the fact he is a trader.

Is what he is doing illegal or bordering on the illegal? If so, have you referred it to the Police?

 

[Uncle C]

I have told both the Police and Trading Standards but neither are optimistic about tracing the owner of the number (data protection apparently). Both have hinted I may have more success myself, so I turned to NSC.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

You are going to struggle if, fork me says, it is a PAYG, unregistered, of if it has not been linked to the trade / business. There are other ways other than through the number, do you know a name etc... or is it just the number?

 

[Springal]

Its a sole trader who is not always honest about the fact he is a trader.

If you want to ping some company names, or his name I can run against a few things possibly.

 

[Uncle C]

You are going to struggle if, fork me says, it is a PAYG, unregistered, of if it has not been linked to the trade / business. There are other ways other than through the number, do you know a name etc... or is it just the number?

Just the number - hence the struggle.

In the USA they have reverse search for telephone numbers but not in the UK

 

[Uncle C]

If you want to ping some company names, or his name I can run against a few things possibly.

Thanks for the offer but dont have that info.

 

[Bad Ash]

If you seen other ads with a different number have you tried calling that (not using your own number, which is sounds like he now knows)?

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

I have just done some deep internet searches using software i have on my number and it isn't coming up.

edit: sorry i dint realise you know the trader has got adverts on the net.