Is This Phone Number a Scam? How to Check Any Number

Ad Slot: article_intro

Scam calls and texts have become one of the most common ways criminals try to steal money and personal information. In 2025, phone scams cost victims globally over $50 billion. Whether you received an unexpected call, a suspicious text, or just want to verify a number before calling back — this guide walks you through exactly how to check any phone number for scam activity.

Why phone scams are so convincing

Unlike email scams that often contain obvious red flags, phone scams can be extremely difficult to detect because:

• Caller ID spoofing — scammers can make any number appear on your screen, including your bank's official hotline
• Social engineering — trained scam callers use psychological pressure to bypass your natural skepticism
• Urgency — calls about "account suspension", "legal action", or "fraud detected" trigger panic responses
• Familiarity — scammers research their targets and may know your name, partial account numbers, or recent transactions

Understanding these tactics is the first step to protecting yourself.

Step 1 — Search the number on Google

The fastest first check is a simple Google search. Type the phone number exactly as it appeared — including the country code — and add the word "scam" or "fraud".

For example: +65 9123 4567 scam

If the number has been used in scam campaigns, you will find reports from other victims on forums like Reddit, ScamNumbers.info, or consumer protection websites within seconds.

Also search without the word "scam" to find out who legitimately owns the number. If it's a real business, their website should appear.

Step 2 — Check Scampede's phone checker

Paste the number into Scampede's free phone checker at the top of this page. Our system cross-references the number against our database of reported scam numbers and runs real-time carrier validation to detect VOIP numbers and other high-risk line types commonly used by scammers.

Step 3 — Use a reverse phone lookup service

Several free services let you search who owns a phone number:

• WhoCalledMe — community-reported scam numbers with comments from victims
• CallerSmart — reverse lookup with user ratings
• Truecaller — large global database of caller identification
• 800notes — particularly good for toll-free scam numbers

These services aggregate reports from millions of users. If a number has been used to scam people, it will almost certainly appear in one of these databases.

Step 4 — Identify the number type

Not all suspicious numbers look the same. Here's what to watch for based on the number format:

International numbers you weren't expecting Calls from countries you have no connection to — especially from Nigeria (+234), Ghana (+233), or other regions known for high volumes of phone fraud — should be treated with extreme caution. Never call back an international number you don't recognise.

VOIP numbers Voice over IP numbers can be registered by anyone anywhere in the world for a few dollars. They are the tool of choice for scammers because they are cheap, anonymous, and easy to discard. If a reverse lookup shows the number is VOIP with no registered owner, it is likely a scam line.

Spoofed local numbers The most dangerous category — numbers that appear to be from your bank, your mobile carrier, or a government agency. Your bank will never ask for your PIN, OTP, or full password over the phone. If a caller claiming to be from your bank asks for these details, hang up immediately and call your bank directly using the number on the back of your card.

Premium rate numbers Some scams involve tricking you into calling back a premium rate number that charges several dollars per minute. In the UK these often start with 09. In the US they start with 900. Calling back an unknown missed call on these numbers can rack up large bills within minutes.

Step 5 — Recognise common phone scam scripts

Knowing what scammers say helps you identify them instantly:

The bank fraud alert scam "Hello, this is the fraud department of [Bank Name]. We've detected suspicious activity on your account. To protect you, we need to verify your identity by confirming your OTP." — Real banks never ask for your OTP. Hang up.

The government authority scam "This is the IRS / HMRC / ATO / IRAS. You have unpaid taxes and a warrant has been issued for your arrest. To avoid prosecution, you must pay immediately." — Government agencies do not call demanding immediate payment. They send official letters.

The tech support scam "We've detected a virus on your computer / Microsoft account. You need to give us remote access immediately to fix it." — Microsoft, Apple, and Google do not make unsolicited support calls.

The prize scam "Congratulations, you've won a prize / lottery. To claim it, you need to pay a small processing fee." — Legitimate prizes never require payment to claim.

The family emergency scam "This is the police / hospital. Your son / daughter has been in an accident. We need you to transfer money urgently." — Always hang up and call your family member directly on their known number.

Step 6 — What to do if you already answered

If you answered a suspicious call and spoke to the person:

1. Do not call back the number — especially if it's international
2. Do not follow any instructions they gave you
3. Check your accounts immediately if you shared any financial information
4. Contact your bank directly if you provided account details, passwords, or OTPs
5. Block the number on your phone
6. Report the number on Scampede so others can be warned

If you transferred money or provided OTP codes, contact your bank immediately — time is critical for recovering funds.

Step 7 — Protect yourself going forward

For calls:

• Enable your carrier's built-in scam protection — most major carriers now offer this free
• Install a call-blocking app like Truecaller, Hiya, or Should I Answer
• Never call back unknown missed calls, especially international ones
• Register on your country's do-not-call registry (reduces but doesn't eliminate scam calls)

For texts:

• Never click links in unexpected SMS messages — go directly to the sender's official website
• Forward suspicious texts to your carrier's spam reporting number (in many countries this is 7726 / SPAM)
• Use Scampede's message checker to analyse suspicious text content

Report scam numbers

Reporting scam numbers helps protect others. Submit any suspicious number you've encountered to:

• Scampede — our database flags the number for future visitors
• Your national authority — ScamShield (Singapore), Action Fraud (UK), IC3 (USA), ScamWatch (Australia)
• Your mobile carrier — they can block numbers at the network level

Every report makes the next person safer.

Ad Slot: article_mid