NZ Reverse Phone Directory

Forums › ICT Policies and Regulation › NZ Reverse Phone Directory - Illegal?

st3v3th3p1r4t3

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#146741 27-May-2014 22:31

A few years ago when researching if such a service existed, I remember coming across information that these types of services were illegal in NZ.

While looking up a phone number online via Google, I came across a site which seems to have pulled information regarding numbers listed from WhitePages information.

A whois on the domain confirmed my initial suspicions, which were that the site seems anything but legitimate (very new domain, registrar is in a different country to registrant, which is in a different country to where the site is hosted).

I suspect the "Remove Me" link on the front page is what this site is all about (a front for identity theft).

I have a couple of questions:

1. If this type of site is still illegal, is there any grounds for such a site to be pulled when not hosted in NZ?

2. Should WhitePages not have measures in place to prevent the kind of information requests that would be needed to compile their entire database from their website? I suspect that this is how the information was gathered, but even if it was compiled using a botnet or similar (rather than one IP in particular) shouldn't they have noticed a large increase in traffic/requests?

Anyway, if anyone knows the specifics involved in regards to the law, please let me know if I am wrong and if this information is supposed to be publically available in this format. If not, what would be the best bet to have it investigated/shut down?

[Moderator edit (MF): removed linkage]

mattwnz

20112 posts

Uber Geek

#1054668 27-May-2014 23:15

When I enter numbers in it dioesn't display any results, so doesn't look like to works properly anyway.

st3v3th3p1r4t3

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1054689 28-May-2014 00:12

Are the numbers listed? I suppose its possible they haven't managed to compile the entire database yet.

Try looking at one of the links under "Popular searches". I've looked at a couple of numbers I know personally, and not only does it give you the name related to the listing, it also gives you the address.

mattwnz

20112 posts

Uber Geek

#1054693 28-May-2014 00:32

st3v3th3p1r4t3: Are the numbers listed? I suppose its possible they haven't managed to compile the entire database yet.

Try looking at one of the links under "Popular searches". I've looked at a couple of numbers I know personally, and not only does it give you the name related to the listing, it also gives you the address.

They are listed numbers too. Perhaps the people to speak to are the yellow pages. Maybe they have sold access to the data, or maybe there is a hole that is allowing people to scrape the data.. Not sure what the rules/laws are regarding access to this data, when someone is doing a number search. A whois lookup on the domain shows it is registered by someone overseas. In someways it could be a handy tool, as I often get numbers calling on caller display, and they don't leave a message, so to know who they are prior to phoning them would be handy. You can usually find it out anyway via google by entering in a number.

Bung

6403 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1054709 28-May-2014 07:06

Under the Privacy Act Telecommunications Code of Practice reverse directories aren't allowed. Maybe the Privacy Commissioner's office can advise whether they have any control over non telcos doing this.

linw

2843 posts

Uber Geek

#1054797 28-May-2014 09:28

Certainly does work. Name address and even location map.

How is it being monetised?

Interesting.....

BlueShift

1692 posts

Uber Geek

#1054803 28-May-2014 09:34

Lots of ads would help the monetizing.
Results are a bit hit and miss - mine are in there, my coworker's isn't, we're both listed in the white pages, plus he has a listing under JPs too.

coffeebaron

6216 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1054987 28-May-2014 12:31

2talk also have some version of reverse lookup for caller ID
Handy feature

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nigelj

856 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1087175 11-Jul-2014 14:22

coffeebaron: 2talk also have some version of reverse lookup for caller ID
Handy feature

Telecom also ha(d|s) phone number->name mapping for toll calls you made if you clicked on the number in the unbilled calls section of My Telecom, required a standard residential white pages listing of the called number if I recall correctly. Not sure if this is still the case.

old3eyes

9112 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1087431 11-Jul-2014 19:23

coffeebaron: 2talk also have some version of reverse lookup for caller ID
Handy feature

It is but hasn't been updated for years. When I call my 2Talk number from my Telecom landline it still shows after 4 years the previous owner of the Telecom lines name..

Regards,

Old3eyes

YadaMe

110 posts

Master Geek

#1087459 11-Jul-2014 19:58

Google does something similar on the nexus devices. If a business rings me it will display their name. Now if only businesses would stop using blocked numbers...

richms

28071 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1087506 11-Jul-2014 20:54

I installed an app called true caller on my phone, has had a few callers in it, and I have been popping in the others that call me that are not in it.

Richard rich.ms