Who called me?

Read the prefix first, then check the number.

Start with the prefix, because it tells you the line type before you know the name. Every Australian mobile starts 04 and appears in no public directory. A number starting 02, 03, 07 or 08 is a fixed line tied to a state. 1800 is freephone and 13 or 1300 are local rate, so both are cheap to call back, while 190x is premium and calling back costs you real money. Anything that rings once and stops is a one-ring scam, and you should not call it back.

What the prefix tells you

04: Mobile. Every Australian mobile starts this way, so the prefix tells you nothing about the carrier and nothing about the person. Not listed in any public directory.
02: Fixed line for New South Wales and the ACT. A real business calling from Sydney or Canberra usually shows up like this.
03: Fixed line for Victoria and Tasmania. The state should match whatever the caller is telling you.
07: Fixed line for Queensland.
08: Fixed line for South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. A very wide area, so it narrows things less than the others.
1800: Freephone. Calling back costs you nothing. Genuine organisations publish these on their own website, so verify the number there rather than trusting the one you were given.
13 and 1300: Local-rate business numbers. Legitimate and extremely common, but they are also cheap to obtain, so the number alone does not prove the caller is who they claim.
190x: Premium rate. Calling back costs money per minute. Never return a 190x call you did not start yourself.
International, not +61: If it rang once and stopped, the entire point is to make you call an expensive international number back. Block it.

Scam patterns that actually run in Australia

These are the scripts Australians report most. None of them is proof on its own, but each is a reason to stop and check the number before doing anything else.

Hi Mum messages

A text from an unknown number claiming to be your child, who has lost their phone and needs money urgently. The new number is the whole trick. Call the number you already have for them.

Australia Post and courier texts

A parcel that could not be delivered, a shortened link and a small fee to release it. Real delivery notices reference a tracking number and never ask for card details on a linked page.

Linkt and toll notices

A text about an unpaid toll with a link and a deadline. Check your toll account through the official site you type in yourself, never through the message.

myGov and ATO impersonation

A message about a refund or a debt that needs your details to resolve. Government agencies do not ask for bank logins or card numbers by text, and a refund never requires a payment first.

Bank security team calls

Somebody claiming to be from your bank says your account is compromised and money must move to a safe account. No such account exists. Hang up and call the number on the back of your card.

Remote access and tech support

A caller says your computer or internet connection is compromised and asks you to install software. Installing it hands them your screen and your banking session.

Common questions

Should I call back an unknown Australian number?

Not straight away. If it rang once and stopped, do not call back at all. If it left a voicemail naming an organisation, look that organisation up yourself and call the number on their own website rather than the one you were given.

How do I stop a number calling me?

Block it in your phone and turn on your carrier's scam filtering. If the same caller keeps changing number, that is an automated dialler and blocking one number at a time will not keep up.

Where do I report a scam call or text in Australia?

Report scams to Scamwatch, run by the National Anti-Scam Centre. ACMA is the communications regulator and also runs the Do Not Call Register. If you have lost money, contact your bank immediately, and IDCARE can help if your identity details are involved.

Can I find out who owns the number for free?

Sometimes. Searching the number in quotes works well for businesses, because they publish their own numbers. Personal 04 mobiles are in no public directory, which is where a reverse lookup gets further.

Guides for Australian numbers

Whose number is this?

An unknown Australian number called or texted. Three ways that actually work: read the prefix, search it properly, run a reverse lookup. 1M+ lookups.

Who keeps calling me?

The same Australian number keeps calling. Read the calling pattern, identify who it is, and stop it. Private check in about 60 seconds. 1M+ lookups.

Free phone number search in Australia

What you can find on an Australian number for free, what you cannot, and where the free routes stop working. Honest limits, no guessing. 1M+ lookups.

Is this number a scam?

The scam signals that actually matter on an Australian number, what each one means, and what to do next. Private check in 60 seconds. 1M+ lookups.

The Hi Mum scam

A text from an unknown number claiming to be your child. Why the new number is the whole trick, and the one check that ends it. 1M+ lookups.

Australia Post and delivery text scams

Fake delivery texts imitate Australia Post and couriers. How the real notice differs from the fake, in the link, the sender and the ask. 1M+ lookups.

Find out who is really behind the number

The check is private and takes about 60 seconds. The person is not notified and never finds out you looked.

Check a number now