# Just got a call from a 12 digit phone number **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 20, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-a-call-from-a-12-digit-phone-number/791756 "2017-07-20T20:59:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-a-call-from-a-12-digit-phone-number/791756/1 "2017-07-20T20:59:44Z")
The first three digits were 447. Looking online it appears to be a UK number with the country code. I see a few complaints from people receiving scam calls from such numbers, but just a few and no obvious common thread between them. The message itself was an uremarkable business message from a prospective client that I would return without a second thought if it were from a normal number. Anyone have an idea what is going on here? Is it possible that someone could simply be visiting the US from the UK and still be using their regular phone? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-a-call-from-a-12-digit-phone-number/791756/2 "2017-07-20T21:31:10Z")
44 is the UK country code. 7 indicates a mobile number (e.g. (0)7123 456789) or a non-geographic premium rate number if it’s (0)7000 123456 so be very careful responding to numbers you don’t recognise. As for using mobiles abroad, sure, why not? It’s often expensive, but it’s business. Maybe he has a dual sim phone and forgot to switch sims? I’ll be taking my mobile phone to America. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-a-call-from-a-12-digit-phone-number/791756/3 "2017-07-20T22:00:30Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Anyone have an idea what is going on here? Is it possible that someone could simply be visiting the US from the UK and still be using their regular phone? Absolutely yes. I use my mobile phone abroad; my international friends use theirs in the US. It’s not expensive (depending on the plan you have; with some, it may be.) We both see each other’s local numbers, country code and all, when we call each other. (Well, kind of sort of, as most of them are programmed into my phone, so I really just see the name of who is calling. But for those who haven’t been programmed in, yes, I see +44 yaddayaddayadda when they call.) ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-a-call-from-a-12-digit-phone-number/791756/4 "2017-07-20T22:01:49Z")
So if the three digits following the 447 aren’t 000, it’s probably just a normal UK mobile? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-a-call-from-a-12-digit-phone-number/791756/5 "2017-07-20T22:06:05Z")
It’s 070xx numbers that are ‘[personal numbers](http://www.area-codes.org.uk/070-personal-numbers.php)’. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-a-call-from-a-12-digit-phone-number/791756/6 "2017-07-20T22:06:06Z")
Is there anything about the message left that seems off to you? Just because it’s from a mobile UK number (which I’m betting it is) doesn’t mean it’s legit. I do get fake scamming calls from people with non-US numbers very occasionally, as I run a business as well. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-a-call-from-a-12-digit-phone-number/791756/7 "2017-07-21T01:22:41Z")
No, the message itself sounded fine, and it’s not a “personal number”, so I guess I’ll call back and see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-a-call-from-a-12-digit-phone-number/791756/8 "2017-07-21T13:13:36Z")
The U.S. is unusual in its mobile phone billing policies in that when two people talk on mobile phones, they are both charged for airtime (if calling plans have charges for airtime). In most other countries, they have “calling party pays” where when two people talk, the receiving party does not pay for airtime. I am not sure what happens if a U.S. phone calls a U.K. mobile, but there is a possibility you could incur a charge. These days, the most popular calling plans have turned to data as being the cash cow, and voice calls are unlimited. I do not know if this is also true in the U.K. If the message is a personal one for you, and from a prospective client, it’s probably legit. The scan calls are generic. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-a-call-from-a-12-digit-phone-number/791756/9 "2017-07-21T17:41:04Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > … > > Anyone have an idea what is going on here? Is it possible that someone could simply be visiting the US from the UK and still be using their regular phone? It’s worth the OP understanding one simple fact. The number displayed on your caller ID is NOT the phone number of the person calling you. It’s actually either: A) the phone number of the person calling you OR B) whatever false string of digits that person or business chooses to display on your phone. There is no way for you to look at _any_ caller ID display and know whether you’re looking at situation A or B. Because even the phone companies don’t know. Most telemarketers and substantially all scammers fake the caller ID. Bottom line for this incident: You might be looking at a fake number from a scammer anywhere on Earth. Or a real number from the UK. There’s simply no way to know which.