If you have his name, try zabasearch.com. You enter as much of the person's name as possible, the state where they live, and get some info back. It's free. problem happens when the person has a common name. Then you will run into problems as there will be so many people listed with the same name. That site will link you to intelius.com where you have to pay for the info. Not sure about the cell phone numbers. There is also a site called 'whocalledme.com' and you can get some info about certain phone numbers. Not sure it will work with cell numbers, but worth a look.

Tried them and didnt work. Thanks

Hi I'm calling from KBS radio and you just won a catered lunch at work. No, you're not on the air, we record the calls to play back as part of our Wacky Wendsday promos... I just need your name and address and Billy O's BBQ will be by today with lunch for 10 people...

Great, and would this be a address we could send some followup SWAG to?

Sometimes a little social engineering...

If the carpet installer is a licensed contractor or business, in most areas, there will be records of his contact information. If you are persistent you should be able to track this down through the appropriate local or state agencies.

For instance, in Florida, you can look up corporations or business names through the Department of State, Division of Corporations. In Florida, all contractors must be licensed through the Division of Business Regulations. Those are both accessible online. Counties keep track of contractors also and that can be traced through the local building department.

Just one note though - Florida is an open records state. All public records are required by law to be open to the public, with only a few exceptions. If your state has more restrictive rules about records, you may have problems locating the information. But it is worth a try.

Another thought - if the installer was not a licensed contractor, you may be able to get him in trouble simply by trying to locate his info - in which case he has caused his own difficulties. ;-)

Unless you paid him in cash you should be able to get his info off of your cancelled check. If he is like most one-man-show contractors he probably cashed your check. The bank or check cashing store will have his drivers license number on the check. From there you can get all the info you need for a small fee from the driver's license people.

There is no-way for you to do a reverse lookup of his cell phone number since the cell companies do not maintain a searchable public database of the owners name. As far as I know, only law-enforcement can do a reverse cell look-up.

I was a sole proprietor and never put a license number on any check I cashed, actually never signed them at all just stamped with the business name which wasn't even registered.

hendricus, if you go to your personal bank and cash a check, you are right, they have your info. Most of these guys go straight to your bank and cash the check. I have yet to find a bank or check cashing store that does not require an id, which they almost always record on the front of the check. Some banks even make them put a finger print on the check. Otherwise, there is no way for the bank or check cashing place to track them down if the check is a fraud.

I do a lot of renovation work and I am always amazed with the amount of businesses that actually cash a business check at a check cashing store. I check every check that comes back and when I see someone that cashes a check made out to their business at a check cashing store, I will not provide any advances to guys in the future. Nor will I trust them to buy materials.

bentruler... LOL!

blue_fast... sounds like you used an unlicensed dingleberry to "save money", and... well, you know the rest. I encourage you to pursue this, but don't make a lifetime mission out of it.

I doubt bentruler's dramatic social engineering would work on this guy... so why not just have a friend call this guy's cell, and have derelict installer over to friend's house for an "estimate" on a "job". You could be waiting at friend's house with whatever camcorders and/or firearms you feel are necessary. You'll at least get a tag # off his vehicle, and get to tell him off in person.

Or in a disguised falsetto voice, send him to your neighbor's house across the street... "oh yeah, blue_fastback said you did a great job for him, and I need my living room re-carpeted... you big strong handsome carpet dude..." :D