Fake phone number checker: find made-up and junk numbers in a list
In short: Flags numbers in the ranges NANPA, Ofcom and ACMA reserve for fiction, one digit repeated, straight runs like 1234567, numbers that don't fit their country's plan and one number typed on many rows, with a reason per row. Limit: It finds numbers that give themselves away; a plausible made-up number in a real range passes.
A fake phone number checker flags numbers that can't belong to a real person: fictional ranges such as 555-0100 to 555-0199, one digit repeated like 000-000-0000, runs like 123-456-7890, numbers that don't fit their country's plan, and one number typed on many rows. Paste a list or upload a CSV to get a reason for each flag.
Price: this tool is free. Live line type and carrier lookups come with Pro + Phone at $49.99/mo; email checking is from $9/mo. See pricing
Used for numbers written without a + country code.
A family or a front desk can share a number, so repeats are a hint, not proof.
Sample result
(415) 555-0132 is in NANPA's reserved fictional range: it can't be a person's line.
- Phone number
- +1 415 555 0132
- Reserved by
- NANPA
- Range
- 555-0100 to 555-0199
What this means for you
Numbers with no sign of fake can still be made up; only a carrier lookup or a code shows more.
- Paste a list or drop a CSV
- NANPA, Ofcom and ACMA ranges
- Repeats, runs and bad formats
- Reason column per row
- 555-01XX
- 07700 900xxx
- CSV
By SimpleVerifier Team · Last updated · Runs in your browser; nothing you paste is sent to us
The obvious fakes are the easy part
- Download the kept numbers here; they are the ones with no sign of being made up.
- For a live line type and carrier on each kept number, upload the file at /verify with Pro + Phone; email addresses in the same file get a mailbox check too.
- A plausible made-up number looks like a real one to any digit check; confirm numbers that matter with a code by SMS or a call.
How do I find fake phone numbers in a list?
- Paste numbers one per line, or upload a CSV of sign-ups or leads; the phone column is found for you.
- Pick the default country for numbers written without a + country code, and how many rows must share a number before it's flagged.
- Press Find fake numbers. Each flagged row says why: fictional range, repeated digits, straight run, not a valid number, or repeated across rows.
- Download the kept and flagged numbers as two CSVs with your original columns and a reason column.
Example
- You enter
- 10 sign-up numbers with US default country:
(415) 555-0132,(312) 555-2671,000-000-0000,123-456-7890,+44 7700 900123,+44 7400 765432,555-1234and(646) 555-2671on three rows. - You get
- 8 flagged with a reason each: 2 in reserved fictional ranges (NANPA 555-01XX, Ofcom 07700 900xxx),
000-000-0000for one digit repeated,123-456-7890for a straight run,555-1234as too short for the US plan, and the three(646) 555-2671rows as the same number on several rows. 2 kept with no sign of being fake. - Limits
- Runs in your browser with no row cap; an uploaded file can be up to 25 MB.
How can you tell if a phone number is fake?
From the digits alone, a number is certainly fake when it sits in a range set aside for fiction. In North America NANPA reserves 555-0100 to 555-0199 in every area code for films and adverts. In the UK Ofcom reserves blocks such as 07700 900000 to 900999 and 020 7946 0000 to 0999, and in Australia ACMA reserves numbers such as (02) 5550 xxxx. People who don't want to give a number often type one from a film.
The other giveaways are patterns no numbering plan issues to a person: one digit repeated (000-000-0000, 999 9999), a straight run (123-456-7890), or a number that is too short or starts with a prefix the country doesn't use, which the check reads from Google's libphonenumber data. One number on many rows of a sign-up list is usually someone's office, a placeholder or a bot.
Can a fake phone number pass validation?
Yes. A made-up number in a real range, such as (312) 555-2671, has the right length and an allocated prefix, so every format check passes it. This tool only finds the numbers that give themselves away; it says "no sign of fake", never "real".
For sign-up forms the dependable test is a code sent by SMS or a call. For a list you already have, a carrier lookup shows the line type and carrier each number is assigned to now, and a reply or a delivered message shows the rest. See how to stop fake sign-ups for the form side.
What each check catches
| Check | Catches | Misses |
|---|---|---|
| Fictional range | 555-0100 to 555-0199, Ofcom and ACMA drama numbers | Made-up numbers in real ranges |
| Repeated digits, straight runs | 000-000-0000, 123-456-7890 | Random digits |
| Numbering plan | Too short, too long, unused prefixes | Real-looking numbers nobody owns |
| Repeats across rows | One number typed by many sign-ups | A fake typed once |
Who uses this tool, and for what?
- SaaS signups
- Find the trial accounts that typed 555-0100 or 000-000-0000 before you count them as leads or send them a code.
- SMS teams
- Drop numbers that can't receive a text before a send, so you don't pay per message for 123-456-7890.
- Lead buyers
- Check a purchased or scraped list for placeholder and repeated numbers before you pay for the whole file or load it into a dialer.
What can’t this tool tell you?
- It finds numbers that give themselves away; a plausible made-up number in a real range passes.
- It can't tell you a number is connected, who owns it or whether it can receive SMS.
- Northern Ireland's drama range has moved and isn't included, and other countries' fictional ranges aren't covered.
- Repeated-digit and straight-run checks can catch a rare real number; the reason column lets you look before deleting.
Common questions
- Is 555 a fake phone number?
- 555-0100 to 555-0199 are reserved for fiction in every North American area code, so they are never a person's line. Other 555 numbers aren't reserved and can be assigned, so this tool doesn't flag them.
- What phone numbers are fake in the UK?
- Ofcom reserves 1,000-number blocks for TV and radio drama, including 07700 900000 to 07700 900999 for mobiles and 020 7946 0000 to 020 7946 0999 for London. The checker flags Ofcom's drama ranges except Northern Ireland's, which has moved.
- Can I check if a phone number is real for free?
- You can check it isn't obviously fake and that its format fits the country's plan, which this tool does. Whether a line is connected and whose it is needs a carrier lookup, an SMS code or a call.
- Why would one number appear on many sign-ups?
- Shared phones (a family, a front desk), placeholders like a company switchboard, or automated sign-ups reusing one number. That's why the repeat threshold is yours to set.
- Is my list uploaded?
- No. Everything runs in your browser.
Sources
Well formatted is not the same as reachable.
This tool fixes how numbers are written. It cannot tell you whether a line is mobile, landline or VoIP, or which carrier holds it. That takes a live carrier lookup, which is what Pro + Phone ($49.99/mo) adds.
- Upload a CSV up to 100,000 rows with an email or phone column
- 5,000 live carrier lookups a month: carrier name and real line type
- Emails in the same file get a real SMTP mailbox check
Plans from $9 a month, cancel anytime, no contract. Sign in with Google and your first 100 email checks are free, no card. The free tools stay free either way.