Simply put, it's a tool. We all have them - no PI is without his own personal bag of tricks to get information. But this one is different and deserves a serious look.

As an Investigator myself, I know how crucial correct name and address information is.  Obviously, you can't do your job if you can't find your subject. 

Getting telephone information is easy you say - just call information and ask! Yeah right, we all have tried that. Remember sitting in your office and calling them - getting two listings, and having to call up again to get more information? By the way, they get to bill you again...

You can always use an "on-line data search company", but their information sometimes takes weeks or months to be updated. What you need is updated information, directly from the source and lots of it - fast! 

TeleQuery Search is the most powerful, flexible, accurate, and easy-to-use name, address, and telephone number information search tool in the world.  That is a pretty strong statement, but it's true. They provide you with real-time access to the Telephone Company's most current US and Canadian customer name, address, and telephone number databases.  I'm sure you know The Telephone Company's databases are the most accurate in the world for this kind of information.

Some background on the company.

Since 1984, the owners of TeleQuery.Net, Inc., have been providing political and commercial clients with highly specialized telecommunication inventions and services, designed to rapidly communicate important information by telephone, the Internet, mobile billboards, and radio. 

In 1998, they launched the TeleQuery Search System. Their goal was to provide the most accurate telephone number, name, and address information to those who need it, no matter where they are in the world. By using a simple downloadable software program, they have managed to give their clients (PI's like you and me) an innovative set of tools, methods, and techniques which enable them to zero in from a nationwide view, all the way down to every listing in a specific building.  All of this is accurate to the open of business every day.  It's the same data used to provide directory assistance information to 411 callers, but with a vastly superior delivery method.

By the way, TeleQuery's telephony products have been approved for billing on the residential and business customer telephone bills of AT&T, Verizon, Cingular, Qwest, and Sprint (Embarq). TeleQuery is the right source because their information is the same information that the phone companies have. As a PI, you have direct access to your very own search database.

How do you use TeleQuery?

First, let's talk about money. My first concern was what will this cost me to get set up, and how much is the monthly fee for having access to all this information. I was surprised, to say the least. There is no set up fee, and no monthly access charge. You just pay as you go.  TeleQuery doesn't even charge you for the software you download to access the system from your computer! Pretty cool!

If you have ever used Directory Assistance, you know that they can charge you up to two dollars in some cases per call - and they limit you to only two listings. Need more? - then hang up and call back - and start the billing process all over again. With TeleQuery, you only pay "per search" - and there is no charge for a "no hit". One search could provide you with ALL the telephones in an apartment building, and your total cost would be just 25 cents! (If you are a qualified TeleQuery customer, you can get non-published (NP) numbers as well.)

The first thing to do to use TeleQuery is to download the software and set up an account. This process is very simple to do and it only took me a few minutes to get started. They do offer free tech support for the "keyboard challenged".

Once your account is set up, you just purchase "credits" and you are all set to go. 

I started with a FREE "Starter Account". Like most PI's, I am not ready to lay down money until I'm sure of what I am getting. Yeah, they even let you try it free... 

Want to "see" it in action? get some coffee and watch a demonstration of the software in action and you will see how easy it is to use. 

The Bottom Line

At first, I had a few "no hits" on numbers that I knew were in the system. That was due to me not using the search system properly. This is a "real database", and it is very powerful. You will have to read the instructions and practice a little to understand the full use of the system. (It's really easy by the way) Because it's a "database", as a user, you can conduct searches by street name and even by a range of house numbers and other "wild cards". Invest some time and learn how to use it - you will be glad you did.

CAUTION!  When you do a search, don't be TOO general.  TQ is VERY powerful, and will return as many Smiths as you can shake a stick at (and all of their relatives, too).  So, be sure to start your 'common name' searches with Last Name, First Name (or initial), City, and State, or you'll be overrun with listings you can't use.  Adding a First Name really helps limit your searches. Just thought I should tell you before you found out the hard way.

You can't beat the cost. Just 25 cents for a whole page of listings. There's no set-up charge, and no monthly fees. I like THAT part a lot!

I like having an icon on my desktop that makes TeleQuery "just a click away". You can use it while talking to a prospective client on the phone - or provide quick support to someone in the field. 

This is a tool that belongs in every PI's tool box for sure.  Enjoy!