How to Trace a Fax Number
By Brian Adler
Updated January 25, 2019
A Fax is a document that is transmitted electronically over a telephone line. Faxes can be sent from and to any telephone number. They do not require a special line. The origin of any fax can be traced simply by tracing the phone number from which it was sent. You trace a fax number the same way you trace any other phone number.
Pick up your fax and look for the phone number from which it was sent. This usually appears on either the top or the bottom of the page along with other information such as the transmission date and time and page number. Try to get the complete number, area code included. You will want the are code if the fax was sent from outside your local calling area.
Take the phone number on your fax and go on-line. You will want to look for a telephone look-up site. These are like Internet phone books. They provide all the information you can find in a typical phone book plus much more. While with a regular telephone directory you must know the name of the person or business, an on-line directory typically lets you find a phone number in many different ways. A good on-line directory to use is 411.com. 411.com contains listing from all over the United States.
Go to 411.com. Click the tab called "Reverse Phone." When the page comes up, just enter your fax number. Click enter or hit the "Enter" key on your computer. A new screen should appear. On this screen you should find whatever information is available about this phone number. Normally, this information will include the name and address of the owner of that particular phone line. If it is a business, the name of the business will appear. This will also usually include the address. Address information will generally consist of a street address as well as the city and state.
Find an unlisted numberf. To trace a fax number is not difficult. However, there are times when you simply cannot find the owner of the number. Occasionally a number is unlisted, or a listing will appear with no owner information. In this case, often the carrier's name is the only information provided. This will be the name of the phone company that owns that number. If you cannot trace a fax number through one on-line directory you might try another. Occasionally one has information that is not available on another.
Tips
Different on-line telephone directories all work in a similar fashion. Just look for a tab called "reverse look-up" or "reverse phone" or something similar. You will soon find what you want.
Resources
Writer Bio
Brian Adler has been writing articles on history, politics, religion, art, architecture and antiques since 2002. His writing has been published with Demand Studios, as well as in an online magazine. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Columbia University.