What if you received a phone call or text from an unknown and suspicious number? Staying vigilant protects you against phone scams to avoid financial loss or identity theft. This guide will show you how to spot scam phone numbers and protect against them. You’ll also discover our list of scammer phone number lookup tools in Australia that can help you identify suspicious calls and texts.
Identifying a scammer’s phone number is one of the first steps in avoiding them. That said, be wary of calls or texts from people you don’t know, especially those that seem to come from known brands and government agencies. Here are additional steps to help you spot them on time:
First, look at the area code. Then check a list of scam area codes such as 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876. Inc.com and Gobankingrates also have an extensive number of scam area codes you can check out.
You might receive a call from a phone number that appears local. On occasions, it might be cloned to look like calls from popular organizations in your area.
If it’s a text message, they might copy real text messages and logos from popular companies you know. It might even appear in the same message chain as real messages from an organization you use.
You might receive a text message from someone pretending to be a family member, friend, or acquaintance who is desperate for money. They might claim to have a new phone and need help in a crisis.
Scammers may also leave voicemails requesting that you call back urgently saying that a relative is sick or claiming some other urgent matter. These scammers use robo-dialers to call you. When you call back, they might charge you connectivity fees, and per-minute fees which you’ll find on your phone bills.
If someone said that you were sent prize money you did nothing for, a package you didn’t buy, or offers products at ridiculously low prices, it’s simply fake and likely a scammer.
Scammers might also ask for personal details trying to convince you that they are a legitimate business. Often, this type of call or text message might include links or attachments. Do not click on an attachment in a text message unless you are completely sure of it.
Scammers would often try to use urgency to their advantage. Their goal in rushing you is to avoid giving you time to double-think your actions. If someone’s trying to convince you of an emergency or offering a discount that ends very soon, it’s best to hang up.
If you received a phone call or message from a suspicious number, you may wonder – is this number a scammer in Australia? A great way to know is by using a free scam phone number lookup tool to validate your reservations. Here are some favorite scammer phone number lookup tools in Australia to try.
CyberTrace is a great free scam phone number lookup. It will look up details about who owns the phone number especially if it’s connected to a business. It may even analyze numbers based on its risk analytical tool to help determine your risks of returning that call. To use this tool:
💰Pricing: Free
Truecaller also allows you to check scammer phone numbers. This tool keeps a database of reported phone numbers and will also check to see if the phone number is connected to a business. To use Truecaller:
💰Pricing: Free
If you are looking for a forum dedicated to reporting scam phone numbers in Australia, this tool is the answer. Here you won’t just confirm scam phone numbers but look at details about what the caller discussed with its victims.
💰Pricing: Free
Person Lookup is a great scammer phone number lookup tool in Australia. However, it’s dedicated to not just confirming a scam number but finding details about any phone number. Here you’ll find whatever data is available on the internet about the owner of that phone number. This can include their name, phone numbers, email addresses, property data, workplace, social media accounts, and more.
💰Pricing: Free
If you’ve received a call or text message from a phone number and want to verify if it’s a scammer or not, several websites list scammer phone numbers in Australia. However, here are the top ten list of scammer phone numbers in Australia that you need to know about:
To find more regular scammer phone numbers in Australia, you can also check the National Anti-Scam quarterly updates, WikiHow, and GoBankingRates for an updated list of scammer phone numbers in Australia.
It’s important to safeguard yourself from scams via phones or SMS. Here’s how:
☑️ Can I track a scammer through a phone number?
Yes, you can track a scammer through a phone number by checking the phone number via a scammer phone number lookup tool. Alternatively, you may also try tracking scammer’s location. MLocator tracks Wi-Fi signals, GPS location data, and cellular data to help find the exact coordinates of any phone number, no matter where they are around the world.
☑️ What happens if you call back a spam number?
Calling a spam number is generally not recommended. Calling back can confirm your number is active, leading to more spam calls. They might charge you exorbitant phone call rates, especially if the number is international. The scammer may also use social engineering tactics to try and steal your personal information or money
☑️ Is it better to block spam calls or just delete them?
Deleting spam calls from your history might stop you from calling that number back. But it won’t stop them from calling you in the future. It’s better to block the number to prevent future calls, providing more effective protection against spam.
☑️ How to check fake call numbers?
You can check a fake number by using a reverse phone lookup service to search for the number and see if there’s any information available such as the owner’s name, location, or user reports. Your phone network carrier may also provide call-blocking and identification services to help flag potential spam or scams.
Now you know how to identify suspicious calls and texts. Remember to always validate unknown phone numbers. And if something feels off, hang up or delete the message right away. Always use scammer phone number lookup tools to check suspicious numbers and report scams to prevent others from falling victim. When you are cautious about the phone calls or text messages you receive, you can avoid the heartaches of phone scams.
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