It has been brought to our attention that Google.com offers a feature whereby entering a phone number into the search bar brings up the name, address, and even a map to the location associated with that phone number. We found this to be the case also with Windows MSN’s live.com search engine, and may be the case with others, as well. It does not work with every phone number, but we verified that many do reveal this personal data. This information is significantly more thorough than what is available via reverse phone number lookup services. Many people have their phone number printed on their checks or other documents and the safety issues for anyone, particularly for children, are obvious and alarming. It may be wise to pay prompt attention to this safety and privacy issue and take action to protect yourself and your family. Google offers a “remove your name from this list” option, which promises to do just that in 48 hours.
We encourage you to share this information with friends and family, as a practical safety matter. Thank you.
