Who Called Me UK: How to see who called you, where they are from, and how to stop it

Receiving strange calls from anonymous numbers? Here’s how to find out who’s calling, where they’re from and how to stop it from happening again.

In 2021, mobile users in the US suffered almost $30 billion in loss from scam calls, so it ‘pays’ to protect yourself. This can be difficult if ignoring your phone isn’t an option e.g., because you are seeking employment and expecting calls from employers.

Or, under even more traumatic circumstances you may be having unsolicited calls from stalkers. So, take control and read the following ways to uncover who’s calling you.

Who called me from this phone number?

To dig more into the phone number calling you, you can do a reverse phone search. Often, detailed information is hidden behind a paywall on services like PeopleFinders, but there are other online tools that offer free help like Who Called Me.

This website allows you to search the number and receive free and insightful data about it. You can check if others have reported this number (or add your own report) allowing you to gauge how trustworthy it is.

Phone number area codes: where they’re from and which to avoid

Scammers often use numbers that come from familiar area codes. You may notice often scam calls arise from UK area codes as this is a tactic to effectively target victims. According to Hiya (an anti-Scammer platform), these are the top 10 UK area codes used for ‘nuisance phone calls’:

020 (London), 0161 (Manchester), 0141 (Glasgow), 0113 (Leeds), 0121 (Birmingham), 01922 (Walsall), 01268 (Basildon), 0151 (Liverpool), 0115 (Nottingham), 01792 (Swansea).

For international area codes, according to a report by Police Credit Union it is recommended to look out for numbers from the Caribbean region as this is a hotspot for scammer activity, watch out for the following:

232: Sierra Leone, 242: Bahamas, 246: Barbados, 284: British Virgin Islands, 268: Antigua and Barbuda, 345: Cayman Islands, 441: Bermuda, 473: Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, 664: Montserrat, 649: Turks and the Caicos Islands, 758: Saint Lucia, 767: Commonwealth of Dominica, 721: Sint Maarten, 784: Saint Vincent and Grenadines, 809, 829 and 849 : The Dominican Republic, 868: Trinidad and Tobago, 876: Jamaica, 869: Saint Kitts and Nevis.

How to tell if it's a scam call?

Scam calls can come from live people or from automated machines that deliver prerecorded messages i.e., ‘robocalls’. Rather than play ‘robocall roulette’, here are some suggestions:

Run a quick web search: to know if a call is a scam or not, search the number online. The phone number, if legitimate, should generate web page results that show the individual or organisation it's connected to.

Look at what your phone displays: while receiving a call, check your phone display for a number and location. If your phone simply says ‘Unknown caller’ then it’s safe to assume it’s a scam. Although anyone can hide their number it is recommended to let these calls go to voicemail and only call back if you’re sure of their identity.

Check for verification: many mobile carriers verify phone numbers when a call comes through. For example, the Google phone app shows a ‘badge’ on incoming calls that connects them to a business - you can use this to assess the legitimacy. However, even legitimate businesses may use robocalls.

Keep an eye out for ‘trick’ numbers: scammers can use ‘spoof numbers’ to throw you off. These numbers resemble a number of someone close to you with a few digits off, or they use a number with your local area code.

What can you do if you’re receiving scam calls?

If you are receiving unwanted calls (scam or not) then the next best thing to do is just block the number. However, remember these numbers constantly change so you may have to block several numbers before you see results.

It is recommended you also research your mobile carrier’s ‘anti-scam’ solutions. You can use mobile applications like Truecaller that work to deter spoofed numbers. Lastly, if you are desperate then try the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) which is a ‘Do Not Call’ registry for UK landline and mobile numbers.

This allows you to opt out of unsolicited live sales and marketing calls (it’s also free and quick to register.)