Who called me? How to identify an unknown Canadian number
Updated
Before you return a missed call from a number you don’t know, take a minute to check it.
Search the full number
Enter all ten digits here to see the area code’s location and what other people have reported.
Read the area code carefully
Area codes such as 416, 437 and 647 (Toronto) or 514 and 438 (Montreal) show where a number was issued. Numbers can be spoofed, so a local code does not prove a local caller. Toll-free numbers (800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888) belong to businesses.
Let unknown calls go to voicemail
A real caller usually leaves a message. Robocalls rarely do. Most phones can label suspected spam; turn the feature on in your phone settings.
Never call back a one-ring call
If a number rings once and stops, especially from abroad, don’t call back: some numbers are charged at premium rates.