Are you searching for the best scammer phone number lookup app to stay safe from scamming attacks? You’re in the right place!
With the widespread growth of digital technologies, phone and online scamming have sprung up. Those people become the victims of these scamming attacks, inexperienced in the IT field. Not to mention, tech-savvy people also fall prey to these scammers mainly through social engineering and greed.
However, using the right digital tools and apps can keep yourself and your wealth safe from such scamsters. It does not require much effort or IT skills to prevent scam attacks. It only needs your willingness to stay away from illegitimate offers and phishing. You can do so effortlessly using scammer phone number lookup mobile apps.
Below are some of the best scammer phone number lookup apps to guard yourself from phishing calls.
Spokeo
Spokeo uses the reverse phone lookup algorithm. When you get frequent phone calls from a specific unknown number, you can look up its owner’s information on this web app.
The key features of Spokeo are.
- It fetches the full name, gender, and age of the unidentified callers.
- It also retrieves additional details like email addresses, social media profiles, and alternate mobile numbers.
- Its in-house database consists of updated phone numbers from the customer care of brands across the globe. The tool uses this database to identify fake call center numbers.
- Delivers a detailed report of incoming unknown callers. Its app is available on Google Play.
It only offers its services to premium members. You can become one by signing up for a one-month plan ($19.95/mo) or 3-month plan ($14.95/mo).
It works on:
- Android
YouMail
If you are looking for a more convenient look-up of unknown incoming callers directly from your smartphone, you must try YouMail. It offers a smartphone app available on Google Play and App Store.
The concept of spam caller identification is the same as mentioned in the first app. The mobile app will use a reverse look-up program. The algorithm searches through many white pages, Yellowpages, business databases, customer support portals, online yellow pages, local businesses, and more. Its app is available on Google Play and App Store.
A pop-up will show up immediately when you get a call from a potential scam call center. It warns you to think twice before answering the call. The pop-up may show the risk status, location, other user reports, and more. You can get started with a free 2-week trial.
It works on:
- iOS
- Android
Intelius
You can also give Intelius a try when you need one of the best scammer phone number lookup tools. You just need to sign up for a paid plan on this website and set up your profile. Once done, simply enter the incoming mobile number on the search portal. It offers the following reverse look-ups using a phone number.
- People search
- Criminal record search
- Background check
- Reverse address lookup
- Public records search
Intelius comes with a comprehensive database and partner data resources. When you type in a number for verification, its data engine scours through billions of records globally. Once done, it produces a detailed report that usually contains name, address, possible acquaintances, age, carrier name, phone type, location, and so on. Its app is available on Google Play and App Store.
It works on:
- iOS
- Android
BeenVerified
BeenVerified has been serving as an information-gathering company for many years. The platform is suitable for businesses and individuals. It lets you find out a detailed background of the caller through external and internal database searches.
You can use its web app, Android app, and iOS app, depending on your device usage. Irrespective of the device, you get to search by entering any of the following data about the incoming unknown caller:
- Who they are
- Reverse phone number lookup
- Email address-based search
- Home or business address-based search
- Searching usernames of chat agents, calling agents, tech support agents, etc.
- Look up someone by the vehicle,
Therefore, you can type in the incoming call center agent’s number to verify if the agent belongs to a scam company or a real business. Its app is available on Google Play and App Store.
It works on:
- iOS
- Android
TruthFinder
TruthFinder also lets you discover the identity of a stranger caller or unknown caller by simply looking up phone numbers on its web app. Besides the web app, you can also use their Android and iOS apps for extra convenience.
Its notable features that might come in handy are:
- Reverse mobile or landline number lookup
- Searching for information on strangers
- Performing background checks on telecallers, sales agents, etc.
- Reverse address lookup when spammers share fake business addresses
- Looking through public records to verify a legitimate business
- Scanning the dark web to uncover illegal activities by fake customer care agents
The tool currently works within the United States. You can get a detailed report on the unknown caller by subscribing to a paid plan. Its app is available on Google Play and App Store.
It works on:
- iOS
- Android
CocoFinder
Have you been getting a lot of promotional and sales calls lately? Are those telecallers asking for credit cards, debit cards, Google Play gift cards, etc.? If all these are true, you can verify the incoming caller’s details on CocoFinder before giving away any personal or financial information.
The reverse phone number lookup platform is currently offering free phone number validation services. However, the process may seem slower than its competitors.
Though most of the above services only work within the US, CocoFinder offers its services in multiple countries other than the USA. For example, you can look up numbers in Canada, France, Singapore, South Africa, etc.
Robokiller
Do you remember the sheer number of times, you were waiting and expecting an important call but only to be frustrated with a spam call instead? Robokiller has come to you for rescue! With advanced Machine Learning and AI, it judges the incoming call as spam or not. You know what happens then? Spam calls will not even reach you after detection!
Moreover, it implements audio fingerprinting technology to construct a dialer database and matches with similar fingerprints from a call to detect fraud.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ With the “Spam Control” feature, users can report cases of spam to train the algorithm. | ❌ Not so simple user interface. |
| ✅ Scalable and customizable technology to continue catering to unique cases. | ❌ Can be resource-intensive, affecting device performance and battery life. |
| ✅ Absolutely trustworthy platform to use. |
Robokiller is available to use at a zero cost. Just register your number with the platform and utilize its powers! You can download it from the App Store and the Play Store.
It works on:
- iOS
- Android
Instant Checkmate
With information so readily available on the internet, it’s becoming quite a task to distinguish between fake calls and real ones. Instant Checkmate is a platform that unveils social media accounts, online activity, photos, and much more only based on the phone number searched.
You can make sure whether the phone number belongs to any fraudulent person, an organization trying to fool you, or some real old friend aiming to reconnect with you! All this is possible with the help of the Reverse Phone Lookup feature available, which gives an overview of the person behind the call a lot.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Delivers detailed social media accounts of the suspected number. | ❌ Limited customer support and delay in problem resolution. |
| ✅ Acts like a phone directory and completely legal to use. | ❌ Relying on publicly available information as its database can raise accuracy concerns. |
| ✅ Searches internet databases for public records and matches distinct phone numbers to names. |
Also, you won’t be required to pay any charges for availing the services of Instant Checkmate. Its app is available on Google Play.
It works on:
- Android
Nomorobo
How about you get the service of advanced call screening? Yes, you heard that right! Nomorobo’s powerful robocall detection technology screens and detects fraudulent calls before they even reach you.
It hits a notification second prior to you actually receiving the call. Nomorobo also works with VoIP landlines. Best of all, landline protection is entirely free. The platform provides pinpointed results, as legal robocalls, such as school closings and medication reminders, are permitted.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ It can be easily activated on your current phone line with a simple one-time installation. | ❌ Supports a paid subscription model for use, in contrast to many free such tools. |
| ✅ Solid security policy. | |
| ✅ To defend against phishing, spam, and scams, SMS is immediately junked. |
“VoIP Landlines”, “Nomorobo Max,” and “Mobile Basic” are basically the three plans available for you to choose from. The pricing may vary and lie somewhere in the range from $1.99- $ 4.17 per month.
Smartphone and Online Scams Are in Their Peaks
A recent report from Scam Watch suggests that online scams are not just rising; they are thriving. So far, global scam victims have reported a total amount loss of $381,256,046 in phone or online scams. There are a total of 146, 776 scam reports so far.
The same report says that investment scams are almost 100 times more than all other scams. Find below a table to understand the global scamming attacks visually:
| Type of Scam | Amount Lost |
| Investment scams | $267,263,910 |
| Romance and dating scams | $23,4564,80 |
| Remote tech support scams | $16,670,008 |
| False billing issues | $15,006,570 |
| Phishing of personal data | $11,965,331 |
| Threats to arrest, audit, life, etc. | $9,094,071 |
| Identity theft | $6,874,922 |
| eCommerce scams | $5,981,554 |
| Classified ad scams | $5,478,024 |
| Pyramid or MLM or Ponzi scams | $3,469,380 |
Scamseters use various types of delivery methods to find the next scam victim. The most common ways a scammer may try to make you their prey are mobile apps, mobile phones, emails, social media, and text messages.
Another interesting and concerning finding of the Scam Watch report on global scam attacks is that the target audience for such scams falls into the following age groups: over 65, 55 to 64, and 45 to 54.
Commonly Used Scamming Methods
Catfishing
Scamsters create a fictional identity and attract their target victims online via social media platforms. Then, the bad actors either lure them to in-person meetings and abduct them or get financial benefits from the target.
Social Engineering
Hackers use social engineering to gain corporate or business data from professionals who work in managerial or leadership roles. Then, scamsters use this data to attack the company using ransomware.
Tech Support Fraud
It is the most popular way of scamming elderly people in North America and Europe. Fake call center agents will cold call prospects randomly. Then they indirectly threaten households that their phone or internet line has been hacked.
And, only the call center agents can resolve this. If the user falls prey to this tactic, scammers will take remote access to your laptop or desktop using TeamViewer, Amy Admin, and so on. At a certain point, they will ask you to enter credit card details, which they will steal through screen sharing.
Investment scams
Older adults with pension funds, savings, etc., fall prey to investment scams more often. Scammers use several tactics like Affinity Fraud, High Yield Programs, Recovery Room Schemes, etc., to rob the elderly of their savings.
Refund Scam
Fake customer care agents cold call customers of Target, Walmart, Amazon, eBay, etc. Then they misguide the customer that they have placed an order for a lot of money, and the agent can only refund. The agent asks for your credit card details and uses them to make online purchases for third parties.
Google Play Gift Card Scam
- Some fake websites would give out Google Play gift cards of large denominations at a dirt cheap price. These codes are always fake and never work.
- Scammers blackmail elderly citizens in the US and UK and lure them to buy Google Play gift cards. Then, scammers also trick their target into sending gift card codes to the scammers.
Phishing Scams
In such cases, scammers will send you an SMS, email, WhatsApp, or Facebook message to click on a link or download a file. The ultimate goal is to install a spying app on your device so that hackers can gain access to your financial credentials.
Best Tips to Stay Safe From Scammers
- Use any of the above scammer phone number lookup apps to verify promotional and customer care calls.
- If the scammer identifier app identifies the number as not safe, disconnect the call immediately.
- Never respond to email messages where the sender promises you millions of dollars for nothing.
- Do not download, install, or click on unknown links received via SMS, WhatsApp, etc.
- Do not trust substandard investment agencies that offer you overnight profits that are unimaginable.
- If someone calls you saying that they are from the IRS, FBI, NSA, etc., contact the local authorities or 911 immediately and report the incident. Do not accept buying any gift cards, making money transfers, etc.
- Most proactive online offers to make you rich, get you a good life partner, give you free gift cards, etc., are scams. Stay away from these!
- Help your elderly family members with their computers and smartphones to keep them away from scammers.
- Use a spam blocker app to help you identify and block spammy calls. You can read more about how to block spam calls on Android devices.
Final Words
If you do not take the internet seriously, you might fall prey to scammers. You need to share minimum data online. Also, secure your accounts with tough passwords. And, to resist and stay aware when scammers cold call you as customer service agents, use any of the above scammer phone number lookup apps to identify a scammer.