International Phone Number Search Directory
Select a country to access local white and yellow pages, local phone number directories, carrier information, numbering plans, formatting and more.
Looking for a different country? Browse our complete list of all 200+ supported countries.
How Our International Phone Lookup Service Works
We run two separate processes depending on where that number originates. For United States phone numbers with a +1 country code we check Do Not Call and robocall complaints reported to the FTC and when you enter a non-U.S. phone number we do the following:
Parsing and country detection
The system figures out the country from the calling code and the national numbering plan. A number starting with +44 gets tagged as United Kingdom, +61 as Australia, +91 as India phone number.
Validation
A foreign phone number lookup runs against each country's official numbering rules: length, prefix structure, and whether it matches patterns assigned by the national telecom authority.
Line type classification
The system determines what kind of line the number belongs to. It can tell apart mobile phones, landlines, toll-free lines, premium rate numbers, and VoIP lines.
Geographic mapping
For numbers that carry location data (mostly landlines and certain mobile ranges), the system maps them to a city or region. A UK number with a 020 prefix, for instance, gets identified as London.
Carrier identification
The system identifies the telecom carrier originally assigned to that number's range. A German mobile number might come back as Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, or O2.
Time zone detection
Based on the country and region, the system also returns the applicable time zone and local time. It's useful if you're deciding whether to call back and want to know what time it is on the other end.
Important: number portability means people can switch carriers and keep their number, so the original carrier and the current one aren't always the same.
Types of Phone Numbers You Can Look Up
Mobile / Cellular
Standard mobile phone numbers used worldwide
Landline / Fixed Line
Traditional wired telephone numbers tied to a physical address
VoIP / Virtual
Voice over IP services such as Google Voice, Skype, or similar platforms
Toll-Free
Numbers free for the caller, such as 1-800 or 0800 numbers
Premium Rate
High-cost numbers used for information or entertainment services
Search Results May Include
Phone number search results vary by country, phone type, and data availability.
Country name based on international calling code
City or region associated with the number area code or prefix
Mobile, landline, or VoIP classification
Original assigned telecommunications carrier
Confirms the number follows a real format
Links to phone directories in the caller's country
FTC Do Not Call and robocall complaints
United States Phone Number Lookup
For a full US number search, use our US phone number lookup page. Select your state below to access local phone lookup service and check whether an unknown number has been reported for spam or robocalls.
Already know the area code of the number you are looking for? Use our US area code lookup page or click on one of the most frequently searched area code in here: 208, 213, 256, 404, 470, 720, 786, 800, 833, 844, 855, 860, 866, 877.
International Number Lookup FAQs
Why people use ThisNumber.com international phone lookup service?
- Identify phone number country. A reverse international phone lookup returns the country of origin, carrier, and line type.
- Detect spam and scam calls from US phone numbers. Scam and spam calls are a real and growing problem, so checking an unknown number becomes essential.
Is international phone number search legal?
Generally, yes. But legality depends on where the number is registered, where you are, what data sources the lookup service uses, and what you plan to do with the information. The EU's privacy rules are among the strictest in the world, and plenty of other countries have their own restrictions on how subscriber data can be collected and shared. The purpose matters too: using a lookup to harass someone, or for any purpose prohibited under the FCRA, is illegal.
Can I run an international phone number for free?
Yes. Searching an international cell or landline phone number on ThisNumber.com is free, with no account required.
How do I know which country an unknown number is from?
Check the digits at the front. International numbers in standard format start with "+" followed by a country code: +44 is the UK, +1 is the US and Canada, +49 is Germany. If you don't recognize the prefix, search "country code [number]" and you'll find it quickly. The ITU publishes the complete list. Depending on your carrier, your phone may have already flagged the country on the missed call screen.
Why can't I find information on an international number?
Most reverse lookup databases are built from local directory data and don't extend across borders. On top of that, many countries legally restrict how subscriber information can be published. Numbers tied to VoIP services or prepaid SIMs frequently have no registered owner on record at all.
Is it safe to call back an unknown international number?
Probably not worth the risk. There's a well-documented scam called "Wangiri" (the word is Japanese, roughly meaning "one ring and cut") where callers hang up after a single ring, counting on you to call back out of curiosity. When you do, the line connects to a premium-rate number and charges accumulate by the minute.
Why do some overseas numbers show up as unknown?
A few things can cause this. Carriers sometimes strip international prefixes when displaying numbers locally, so the calling number arrives incomplete and can't be matched to anything. Calls through VoIP services or across several different networks can lose caller ID data. Some callers actively block their number. And some devices don't fully support the E.164 format.
What does the "+" mean at the start of a phone number?
It's a placeholder for whatever international dialing code your country uses (00 in much of Europe, 011 in the US, and so on). Instead of hardcoding a specific exit code that would only work in one country, the "+" tells your phone to substitute the correct local prefix automatically.
Why do U.S. lookups show more information than international ones?
Most countries, particularly those in the EU under GDPR, restrict what personal data can be linked to a phone number in any public database. That's why international lookups are limited to technical and geographic details, while U.S. lookups can include more details such as spam complaints information.
Why does my phone number lookup keep returning an error?
Most likely the problem is a trunk prefix. Most countries use a leading "0" for domestic dialing that gets dropped in international format. A UK number like 07911 123456 looks complete, but a lookup tool needs it as +447911123456. If the tool can't identify your country and strip that leading digit automatically, it'll query something that doesn't exist in the global numbering plan. The fix is simple: enter the number in full international format, starting with "+" and the country code.
What is E.164 and why does it matter for lookups?
It's the ITU standard that gives every phone number a single, global form: a "+" followed by the country code, then the area code, then the subscriber number, 15 digits maximum, no punctuation.