Free phone scam checker

Who’s calling? Check the number before you call back.

See a number’s country, whether it’s valid and what type it is (mobile, landline, VoIP, premium, toll-free where detectable), and whether other ImposterWatch users have reported it.

Who’s calling?

A$107.2M

lost by Australians to phone scams reported to Scamwatch in 2024, the highest losses of any contact method, with a A$3,900 median loss.

Source: National Anti-Scam Centre, Targeting Scams 2024
455.9M

scam calls blocked by Australian telcos in 2024 under the Scam Calls and SMS Code (plus 413.9M scam SMS).

Source: NASC / ACMA, Targeting Scams 2024
#2

Phone calls were the second most commonly reported way scammers contacted Americans in 2024, as reported fraud losses hit US$12.5B.

Source: FTC, March 2025

Phone scam warning signs

Bank or “fraud team” calls

They say your account is compromised and you must move money to a “safe account”, read out a code, or install an app. Banks never ask for this. Hang up and call the number on your card.

Tax office impersonation (ATO, IRS, HMRC, IRD)

Threats of arrest or fines unless you pay now by gift card, crypto or bank transfer. Real tax agencies don’t demand payment that way or threaten immediate arrest.

“Hi Mum” / “Hi Dad” texts

A message from an unknown number claiming to be your child with a new phone, then an urgent money request. Call your child on their old, known number before doing anything.

Wangiri (one-ring) missed calls

A single ring from an unfamiliar, often international number to get you to call back at premium rates (FCC). Don’t call back numbers you don’t recognise.

Caller ID that “proves” it’s real

Scammers can spoof any number, even your bank’s real number. A matching number is not proof.

Pressure and secrecy

“Don’t tell anyone”, “stay on the line”, “act in the next 30 minutes”. Urgency is the scammer’s main tool.

Wangiri definition: FCC scam glossary. Full guide: How to tell if a call is a scam.

Where to report officially

Lost money? Call your bank immediately using the number on your card.

Want ongoing help?

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