How to Verify a Suspicious Phone Number in Australia
Australian telcos have blocked over 2.2 billion scam calls since December 2020. Learn to use reverse lookup tools, identify caller ID spoofing, and protect yourself from phone scams.
You missed a call from an unknown number. Your phone rings from what appears to be a local Australian number, but something feels off. The voicemail claims to be from the tax office, your bank, or a delivery service. Should you call back? The answer depends on whether you can verify if that number is legitimate or part of the 2.2 billion scam calls Australian telcos have blocked since December 2020.
The challenge with phone scams:
According to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) , scammers have become increasingly sophisticated at manipulating caller ID to appear legitimate. Australian telcos have blocked over 788 million scam SMS since July 2022 in addition to those billions of calls. Despite these protections, offshore scammers continue using spoofing technology to mimic Australian numbers, making verification more important than ever. The challenge is that most reverse lookup tools cannot identify spoofed numbers, which means you need multiple verification methods to protect yourself.
Free Reverse Lookup Tools
Several free tools can help you investigate unknown phone numbers before you engage with them. These services rely on crowdsourced data, user reports, and scam databases to identify suspicious numbers. While no tool is perfect, especially against spoofed calls, they provide valuable context about whether others have reported a number as fraudulent.
Truecaller (Recommended)
The leading reverse lookup tool with crowdsourced feedback from millions of users worldwide. When you input an unknown number, Truecaller shows you if others have reported it as spam or scam, what category of scam it might be, and how many people have searched for that number. Available as both a mobile app and web service at truecaller.com. The mobile app integrates with your phone to automatically identify incoming calls and warn you about known scammers in real-time.
Cybertrace SPNL
A free global scam phone number lookup service specifically designed for identifying scammer phone numbers. Cybertrace, an Australian cybersecurity firm, maintains this database with user-reported data from scam victims. Visit cybertrace.com.au/scam-phone-number-lookup to search any suspicious number.
Reverseau & Reverse Australia
Australian-specific reverse lookup services with over one million user reviews between them. These platforms are particularly helpful for identifying missed calls from unknown Australian numbers because they focus on domestic phone activity. The crowdsourced feedback often includes details about what the caller said, what they claimed to represent, and whether the call was legitimate or fraudulent. Visit reverseau.com or reverseaustralia.com to search numbers.
Understanding Caller ID Spoofing
The uncomfortable truth about phone number verification:
Scammers can make any number appear on your caller ID. This technique, called caller ID spoofing, is when criminals manipulate the number that appears on your phone to increase trust. They make calls appear to come from local Australian numbers with the same area code as yours, government agencies like the ATO or Services Australia, major banks like CommBank or Westpac, or delivery services like Australia Post. The technology is surprisingly easy for scammers to access, which is why spoofing has become the standard tactic for phone fraud.
Why is spoofing so dangerous?
Because it bypasses your natural skepticism. When you see a local number or a caller ID that says "Australian Taxation Office," your brain assumes the call is legitimate. Scammers exploit this trust to get past your defences. Your bank's real customer service number could appear on your screen, but the call is actually from a criminal in another country.
Critical limitation:
Reverse lookup tools cannot identify spoofed calls. If a scammer spoofs the number 1800-123-456, lookup tools will show information about the real owner of that number, not the scammer using it. This means a reverse lookup showing "Commonwealth Bank Customer Service" doesn't prove the call is actually from the bank. The scammer is borrowing that number's identity for the duration of the call. Once they hang up, they can spoof a completely different number for their next victim.
Your own number can be spoofed
You might receive angry calls from people claiming you called them, even though you didn't. This is scammers using your number as their spoofed caller ID. There's nothing you can do to prevent this, and it doesn't mean your phone has been hacked. It just means scammers temporarily borrowed your number's identity. If this happens to you, the calls typically stop within a day or two as scammers move to different numbers.
How to Verify Suspicious Phone Numbers
Given that spoofing makes caller ID unreliable, you need a multi-step verification approach.
Step 1: Hang up immediately
Never trust caller ID alone, regardless of what number or name appears. If you receive an unexpected call claiming to be from your bank, a government agency, or any organization requesting personal information or payment, hang up. Don't engage with the caller, don't provide any information, and don't press any numbers they suggest. Simply end the call.
Step 2: Use reverse lookup tools
After ending the suspicious call, use a reverse lookup tool like Truecaller or Cybertrace to check if the number has been reported as a scam. If hundreds of people have reported it as fraudulent, you have your answer. But remember: absence of reports doesn't prove legitimacy. The number might be newly spoofed or part of a targeted attack that hasn't been widely reported yet.
Step 3: Contact the organization directly
The most reliable verification method is to contact the organization using a number you find independently. Don't redial the number that just called you, even if it looks legitimate. Don't use any contact information provided during the suspicious call. Instead, find the official number yourself (on their website or the back of your card) and call it. Real customer service can see notes about outbound calls and verify whether that communication was legitimate.
Step 4: Verify with SafeAus
SafeAus combines multiple data sources including user reports, known scam databases, and AI analysis to verify suspicious phone numbers instantly. The app provides immediate warnings if the number is associated with known scams. You can also share your findings with family members through Family Protection, helping protect your whole family from the same scam operation.
Red Flags in Phone Scams
Unsolicited requests for payment or personal information
Legitimate organizations don't call out of the blue demanding your credit card number, banking details, or passwords. They especially don't create artificial urgency around these requests.
Threats and pressure tactics
Callers claiming your account will be closed, you'll be arrested, or you'll face legal action unless you act immediately are scammers. Real government agencies and banks don't threaten you over the phone. They send official letters through postal mail for serious matters. These scenarios are manufactured crises designed to panic you into compliance before you can think critically.
Requests for remote access to your computer
This should end the call immediately. This is the tech support scam playbook: claim there's a problem with your computer, your internet connection, or your account, then convince you to install software that gives them control of your device. Learn more in our tech support scams guide.
Unusual payment methods
If a caller asks you to pay via gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or by providing credit card details over the phone, it's a scam. They never ask you to buy iTunes cards or Google Play cards to pay taxes, bills, or fines. That specific request is a scam every single time without exception.
What to Do About Suspicious Calls
Hang up without providing information
Don't worry about being rude. Legitimate callers will understand if you're cautious, and scammers don't deserve your politeness. Ending the call immediately prevents you from being manipulated by high-pressure tactics or psychological manipulation that scammers use to override your better judgment.
Verify using multiple tools
Verify the number using reverse lookup tools and SafeAus before deciding whether to return the call. Check multiple sources if possible. One tool might not have information, but another might show hundreds of scam reports. This investigation takes a few minutes and could save you from significant financial loss or identity theft.
Report scam attempts
Forward details to Scamwatch so authorities can track scam patterns and warn other Australians. Report to your telco so they can add the number to their blocking systems. Your report might be the one that confirms a pattern and triggers warnings for thousands of other users. For more detailed reporting guidance, see our complete guide to reporting scams in Australia.
Enable telco scam blocking
Most Australian mobile carriers now offer free scam call blocking services that filter known scam numbers before your phone even rings. Contact your provider to activate these protections. While they can't block spoofed calls that appear to be from legitimate numbers, they stop many basic scam operations.
Phone number verification is more critical than ever as scammers become sophisticated with spoofing technology. The 2.2 billion scam calls blocked since 2020 represent only the attempts that were caught by telco filters. Countless more slip through using spoofed Australian numbers that appear legitimate. Your best protection is healthy skepticism of unexpected calls, verification through multiple independent sources, and never trusting caller ID alone. When in doubt, hang up and call back using a number you find yourself from official sources. Those few extra minutes of verification could prevent months of financial and emotional recovery from phone scams.