Use cases and examples
When are directory services especially useful? This section covers the most common situations where 16500 name, number and address search help in everyday life.
How do I identify an unknown phone number?
If you get a call from an unknown number, use name search to find out who tried to reach you. Type the number in a text message and send it to 16500 (without spaces, e.g. 0441234567). The service returns the name if it's publicly available.
It's a quick and safe way to check whether the call is about customer service, sales or an important personal matter.
Lost someone's contact details?
If you know a person's name but not their phone number or address, use the 16500.fi search service. Text the person's name (and city, if known) to 16500 to get their phone number or address in reply (FIRSTNAME LASTNAME CITY, e.g. Matti Meikäläinen Espoo).
Number and address search by SMS is a quick and reliable way to find contact details when you want to reach someone or verify their details, anytime, anywhere.
How do I check a company's contact details?
Looking for a customer service number, billing address or other official company details? With 16500 SMS search, you can find a company's phone number or address quickly without internet access.
Company search by SMS works like a search for a private person – instead of a first and last name, you use the company name.
Text the company name to 16500 and get the contact details on your phone almost instantly.
How do I make sure I have the right address?
Address search by SMS is a quick and easy way to find a private person's or company's address. 16500 address search works by name or phone number. Use it to complete missing contact details, find a recipient's postal address or check a billing address, for example.
Type a name (FIRSTNAME LASTNAME CITY) or number in a text message and send it to 16500. The service returns the address if it's available from public sources.
How do I find a car owner's phone number?
A car owner's phone number isn't available directly from the vehicle register. To get the owner's contact details, first use 16500 license plate search to find the name of the vehicle's holder.
Once you've found the owner's name with a license plate search, you can look up their phone number or address by texting the name (FIRSTNAME LASTNAME CITY) to 16500.
Note that license plate search must be based on the law and a legitimate reason, such as buying a vehicle or a damage incident. If you need a car seller's contact details or an owner's phone number after damage, a parking violation or an accident, for example, using license plate and contact search is justified. You can read more about the legal principles of license plate search on Traficom's website.