How to Tell If a Phone Number Is a Scam

An unknown number calls, or leaves a voicemail, and you are not sure whether to worry. Here is how to evaluate it calmly without taking any risk.

Look it up first

Before you call back, search the number. If others have reported it as a scam, you will often find out in seconds — that is exactly what the lookup on this site is for. A number that has been reported many times for the same kind of scam is a clear signal.

Judge the behavior, not the caller ID

Caller ID is easy to fake ("spoof"), so a call that appears to come from your bank, a government agency, or a local number proves nothing. Focus instead on what the caller asks you to do. Scam calls almost always involve one or more of these:

• Pressure and urgency — you must act now or face arrest, account closure, or loss.
• A request for payment by gift card, wire, crypto, or payment app.
• A request for passwords, full card numbers, Social Security number, or one-time codes.
• An offer that is too good to be true — a prize, refund, or guaranteed return.
• Instructions to keep the call secret or not to hang up.

When in doubt, hang up and call back

If a caller claims to be from your bank or a company you use, hang up and call the official number on the back of your card or the company’s real website. Never use a callback number the caller gives you. This one habit defeats the large majority of phone scams.