Who Called Me Scam Calls - How to Protect Yourself

1. Use Reverse Phone Lookup Tools

These platforms allow you to search a specific number to see if other users have flagged it as a scam or telemarketing.

• Truecaller: A massive community-powered database that provides an "Immediate Spam & Fraud Risk Rating" for unknown numbers.
• Who Calls Me: A website where users post reports about specific numbers that have contacted them.
• Sync.me: Helps identify caller names, locations, and even social profiles associated with a number.

2. Check Official Scam Databases

Depending on your location, you can check if a number or organization is a known threat.

• UK: Use the Barclays Phone Number Checker to see if a call claiming to be from them is legitimate.
• Singapore: Use the ScamShield tool to check if a number or link has been previously identified by authorities.
• Global: Search the number on Google or Reddit; scammers often reuse numbers that others have already reported.

3. Understand "Scam Likely" Labels

If your phone displays a label like "Scam Likely" or "Spam Risk", your carrier (such as T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon) has used algorithms to flag the call as suspicious based on known spam patterns and customer feedback.

4. How to Handle Suspicious Calls

• Do Not Call Back: Some scams, like the "one-ring" scam, are designed to trick you into calling back a premium-rate international number, resulting in high charges on your bill.
• *Dial 57 (US): If a call is threatening or harassing, dialing *57 immediately after hanging up can trace the number and send the information to your service provider and law enforcement.
• Verify Independently: If a caller claims to be from a government agency or your bank, hang up and call them back using a verified number from their official website.