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FAQs

Is this telephone number spam? ›

One way to check if a number is potentially a scam is to use a reverse phone number lookup service. These websites and apps allow you to enter a number and see public information associated with it, such as the registered name, location, and carrier.

If you accidentally answer a spam call, scammers know your number is connected to a real person and can target you with more spam calls. These targeted spam calls will try to trick you into giving up your personal information which allows cybercriminals to steal your money, your identity and even your voice.

How to Spot a Phone Scam. Telephone scammers often try to hook you with enticing offers, appeals for charitable causes, or claims of being associated with the government. They won't allow time for you to think through their pitch. They will pressure you to make a decision.

When you call back a spam number, you're playing directly into the scammer's hands. You could expose sensitive data on the call or make yourself a target for further scam attempts.

You can track a phone number using a few different free methods. An online reverse phone lookup tool is a quick, easy, and legal way of doing it. With sites like Who Called Me? and Truecaller, you can just type in a phone number and you might get some details back about who owns it.

It's better to ignore spam calls. When you decline a call, it can alert the spammer that your phone number is active, prompting them to call you again. If you use a call-blocking tool that uses caller ID, you should never answer calls labelled as spam.

If you answer the call, your number is considered 'good' by the scammers, even if you don't necessarily fall for the scam. They will try again because they know someone on the other side is a potential victim of fraud. The less you answer, the fewer robocalls you will receive.

Can you get hacked by answering a phone call? It's impossible to get hacked by simply answering a phone call made through your network service provider. But that doesn't mean a phone call can't be exploited to compromise your security via a social engineering attack.

While the 1-800 numbers themselves are legitimate, and call recipients will expect them to belong to a business or support center, it's important to note that scammers can spoof numbers. This means they can pose as an entity to take advantage of you and gather your personal information via a scam call.

What numbers should you avoid answering? ›

Your phone can't be hacked from your number alone, although there are some zero-click attacks that can install malware even if you don't answer a call or click a text. Usually, to hack a phone, scammers need targets to take some action, like clicking a malicious link or downloading an infected app.

You'll be targeted by even more scammers

So they'll keep calling you, sometimes from different phone numbers, trying to get you to answer again. They'll try different schemes, too, as they think you might be an easy target.

When they're talking, (as soon as you know it's a telemarketer), start saying "No" to everything they ask. Even say "No" while they're talking. For best results, keep the same tempo but change your tone and loudness between "No"s. Pretend to be interested; waste lots of their time.

Getting calls and messages from numbers you think are spam? You can now confirm whether that number is spam with Truecaller's Spam Number Lookup! Enter the number in the search bar. Truecaller will show spam stats if it's a spam number, giving a detailed breakdown of their activities.

To check the Caller ID reputation of your business phone number, you can start by using a Caller ID lookup service such as Truecaller or Hiya. These services allow you to verify the Caller ID information and reputation of a phone number by entering it into the search function on their website or mobile app.

With Truecaller's reverse phone lookup tool, you can now simply type the caller's number in the search bar above and find out who called you within seconds! The best part? Truecaller also tells you if the caller is a spammer.