Unwanted phone calls are a constant harassment to many of us.  We get these calls often times because organizations get your information and share it. Key oorganizations that do this are telemarketers, however, the list of the organizations that will ask for your personal information is vast and often times you may not even realize what's happening as it seems like you're asked for the information in the regular course of business. Your phone number is one of those key items that they ask for which seems harmless, but in actuality helps identify who you are. They'll ask you for your name, zip, and phone number.   If you look at the list of information in reverse; number is the key thing that they may really want.

Once your information is out there, its close to impossible to remove it.  Once you've handed it out to any organization, they'll share it with with both their internal marketing organizations as well as their "partners", online websites and forums, even retail businesses such as the supermarkets.  Information that could be out there may be your name, address, phone number, and more personal information including credit card numbers, family members and ages, etc....  they may use your phone as the key item that binds all the information together.

Many of these organizations will call you on the phone to try to sell you things.

Here are a few things that you can do:

1) Never give out your personal information to anyone. Don't let supermarkets, and other organizations start putting data together on you.

2) Callers often block their true identify.  If you get a call from an unwanted caller, you don't have to answer it.  Let it go into your voicemail and try to determine what they want.  You can goto the web and use a reverse number website to do a reverse phone lookup and determine who the caller is -- you can even post a complaint on some of these sites and learn what other people have said about the same caller.

3) If you need to answer the phone call from the caller....then answer but be polite (it always gets you far) and ask them to put your phone number on their do not call list.  Again you can lookup their information on a reverse number website.  By looking at a reverse phone directory you can also post a complaint there if it is fact an unwanted caller.

The bottom line is to avoid giving out your personal information unless you have to.  Use a reverse phone website to identify who the caller is.

Julie Stevens is a mother of 3 and enjoys writing on a variety of subjects. Her current passion is stopping unwanted phone calls. You can use her favorite reverse phone and reverse number websites to determine who is calling you, and possibly even post a complaint against the caller.