reverse UK Directory

[joevee]

I was wondering if anyone knew of an online reverse telphone directory for the UK. The type where you may have a phone number and it then gives you the name of the phone owner. It seem that the USA is awash with the things but the UK is a different matter

[factor-fiction]

I recall that reverse directories are not allowed in this country.
But if you google a number you can sometimes find it, particularly if it'sa business number.

[Buenchico]

As Factor30 suggests, it's a serious criminal offence (quite possibly leading to a prison sentence) to provide reverse directory search facilities (either online or on CD) in the UK.

When UK telephone directories first became available electronically (on CD), the expensive 'professional' editions (which were often available in public libraries) did include reverse searching, but privacy campaigners objected to this. (The example they often quoted was that a young woman might be prepared to give her phone number to a guy she'd just met in a nightclub, but not immediately want him to know her address).

The Data Protection Registrar (as he was then called - he's now the Information Commissioner) examined the legal position and determined that 'reverse search' directory listings contravened the Data Protection Act, so you now won't find them anywhere.

Chris