Malwarebytes launches free Scam Number Check

Malwarebytes has launched Scam Number Check, a free web tool that lets users enter a phone number and receive an immediate assessment. The service is available online at no cost.

When a number is checked the site returns one of three verdicts: flagged as a scam, appears safe, or not enough information. According to Malwarebytes, results come from a threat intelligence database and user reports.

When a number is flagged, users are advised not to return the call, share personal information, or send money. If a number appears safe or the tool finds no data, Malwarebytes warns that an absence of records does not guarantee legitimacy.

The site also allows users to block or report numbers. Reporting contributes information that may be used to update the database and warn other users.

The launch follows federal data showing more than $21 billion in losses reported to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center in the past year and daily volumes of suspicious calls. Scammers commonly use urgency and impersonation to pressure people; public guidance recommends letting unknown calls go to voicemail before responding.

Malwarebytes describes the tool as immediate and private and presents it as a way to quickly check unfamiliar numbers before taking further action.