The Best Reverse Email Lookup Tool

Name recognition and "celebrity" endorsements serve as an indicator of quality in ranking a reverse email lookup service. Robert Eringer, the former head of the intelligence service of Monaco, recommends Intelius. If the tool is good enough for the spymaster of a small country, it's probably good enough for the average consumer.

That a reverse email vendor is hired by major corporations is a sign that the company is trustworthy and reliable. The former MCI, now Verizon Business, turned to Melissa Data for its needs, for instance. Generally, if the service retains the business of major clients, the information it sells is likely available and valid. Often, the vendor may feature an "about" page on its website listing its more prestigious clients.

Social networking sites have the advantage of widespread use and popularity, and can serve as a free source for obtaining or validating the current email addresses of its users. Facebook's search box is one noteworthy example in this category, and it's catching on across the marketplace. ServeNow's Amber Howle points out that process servers have turned to social networking sites to locate parties involved in litigation, for example.

While free services can be useful to many online consumers, a smaller, lesser-known entity can also provide good value. This type of company, such as Spokeo, has an incentive to deliver a good product because it has fewer overhead expenses and more to prove as it builds a loyal customer base and develops name recognition.