Verifying whether a phone number you have is fake is crucial for safety. By confirming the authenticity of a phone number, you will prevent fraud and validate the identity of the person you're calling. It is also a way to authenticate businesses before making any transactions.
In this article, we'll cover validating phone numbers. Read to the end to learn how to determine if a number is fake.
There are several strategies to identify fake numbers. Below, you'll learn how to validate a number using different tools and methods. While some will help you identify a fake number immediately, such as checking the formatting, others may require specific actions like calling or texting the number.
First and foremost, check the phone number's format. US phone numbers follow a standard format that's the same in every state.
A typical US phone number should look like this:
(123)-456-7890
The "123" in the above example represents the area code of the phone number. If the number is from your area code, it will start with the same three digits. This can also serve as a clue in validating a phone number – or at least help you know that the phone number you have isn't randomly generated.
When checking a number's format, keep in mind the country differences. Not all countries have the same format. If the number you have is from another country, check the typical formatting.
For example, United Kingdom (UK) mobile phone numbers start with the country code +44 and begin with the 07 prefix, followed by a nine-digit phone number. Landline numbers, on the other hand, are typically ten or 11 digits long.
Knowing these subtle differences in different countries when validating a phone number is critical. Otherwise, you might mistake a genuine phone number for a fake one.
After knowing the phone number is valid, you can call or text the number to ask who it belongs to. Although most individuals may not reveal their identity to a random caller, businesses often pick up the phone by informing you of this information.
Therefore, the likelihood of revealing the identity of a business number is much higher compared to that of a phone number owned by an individual. Still, there are other ways to know who owns a phone number.
Perhaps the most effective way to validate fake phone numbers and find more information about the owner is through a reverse phone number lookup tool. These online tools work similarly to search engines but are specifically designed to trace phone numbers to individuals or businesses.
There are countless reverse phone lookup tools, but we recommend UnMask.com. It provides free phone searches to uncover who owns a phone number, as well as additional details about the owner, such as other contact information, social media accounts, and criminal records.
As phone numbers out of use may remain in public records or on the internet long after they were inactivated, it also works with numbers that someone was once using. Taking advantage of these features all for free can help you accomplish more than simply validating a phone number. It will keep you safe by validating the number before calling or texting and providing key information about who owns it.
If a phone number is fake, you can't trace its location as it isn't associated with anyone. However, reverse phone number lookup tools, such as UnMask.com, can reveal address details that range from current, past, and alternate. If a number is valid and associated with an individual or business, this is the only way to get clues about the owner's location.
Finally, note that there isn't a way to track the real-time location of phone numbers, whether fake or in use.
Verifying a number you suspect to be fake is critical. It is a worthwhile action that will keep you safe from scams, particularly if the number is going to be involved in a transaction. By employing the strategies we've outlined in this article, you can gain peace of mind about any phone number.