4 warning signs to help you identify fake WhatsApp phone numbers

If they are your relatives or friends, their phone number is probably saved in your contacts. If someone impersonates someone you know with an unrecognizable phone number to chat with you, this is a scam – especially when they say they’ve lost their phone and need money to buy a new phone. ^[2] Scammers often find phone numbers and names on the dark web and use that information to scam WhatsApp users. If your acquaintance suddenly chats with you on WhatsApp using a different number, do:

• Call or text the acquaintance directly (with a real phone number) to ask who is messaging you on WhatsApp.
• Ask the person to video chat with you so you can confirm their identity.

Search by phone number. Depending on the phone number, you may be able to find authentication information by searching for the phone number on the appropriate page. Searching by phone number is often more effective than landline numbers, but mobile numbers are also getting easier to find. However, if the person uses a VoIP number from a service like Google Voice or Burner, the information will be very limited and won’t tell you the exact location of the person.

• Visit https://www.zlookup.com to get phone numbers from any country. This is a completely free service and will tell you the carrier of that phone number.
• To find US registered mobile and landline numbers, you can use https://thatsthem.com. This is the page that tells you the address associated with that phone number.
• Another way is to try searching for the phone number on Google, with or without the country code. You’ll probably find a phone number on a scam warning site!

Make sure the country code is correct for where they live. For example, if the person says they are from India and their phone number has the UK country code, you should be cautious. Although there are many reasons why someone would use a phone number from another country where they live; If you doubt the identity of the person you are talking to, this is a sign that the person is not being honest.

• Many apps allow users to create fake or temporary SMS phone numbers that can be used to sign up for WhatsApp. These apps have country codes globally, but a lot of phone numbers use +1 (US) and +44 (UK) country codes. If you’re not in the US or UK and you see one of these country codes, it’s possible the person is using a fake phone number from one of these countries.

Call that number with a private phone number. If you’re still wondering if the phone number on someone’s WhatsApp profile is real, you can call that number directly (from a phone subscription, not using WhatsApp) to see who answered. To make a private call, you can hide the phone number in your Android or iPhone settings, or use a blocking code on your landline.