Have you been receiving persistent phone calls from unknown persons? This happens, and is the reason why you should judiciously check the phone number owner before picking up. Malaysia has witnessed a sharp rise in scam and spam calls in recent years, with a total of over $2.98 million reported last year. Many such calls resulted in telecommunications fraud, investment scams, and other forms of financial exploitation. This guide will show you how to carry out a Malaysian phone number search effectively.
Example of an unknown Malaysian phone number
The phone number can provide some clues directly about whether it’s a landline, mobile, or toll-free phone number. Such information can help you prioritize tools and resources that will easily uncover the person behind them.
Malaysian phone numbers typically follow a 10- to 11-digit format (excluding the country code +60). It can look like:
- +60 X XXXX XXXX or +60 X XXX XXXX for outside Malaysia.
- 0X XXXX XXXX or X XXX XXXX for within Malaysia.
Mobile numbers start with 01, followed by a digit (e.g, 012, 011, 017) and then 7-8 additional digits. Landlines come with an area code followed by 7-8 digits. These area codes can be 03 (Klang Valley), 04 (Penang), or 06 (Malacca. Here are some examples of unknown Malaysian numbers, along with the clues you can obtain directly.
- 011 – 3987 6543 (Mobile number.
- 03- 8765 4323 9 (Landline from Klang Valley).
How to check the phone number owner in Malaysia?
Analyzing the phone number directly offers insights. However, you can achieve more by using dedicated tools to verify the owner of the phone number. Here, we discuss the best tools for this purpose and how to utilise them.
Use reverse phone lookup
Reverse phone lookup services are one of the most effective ways to determine the owner of a phone number in Malaysia. Tools like LocatePhone enable you to find as much information as possible from various public records about that phone number. It would aggregate data from social media profiles, user reports, and telecommunication databases. That way, you can find the owner’s name, location, carrier, line type, and other insights. To use this fantastic tool:
- Go to the Malaysia phone number search tool.
- Set the country code to Malaysia (+60).
- Type in the phone number and hit the lookup button.
- Wait for the search to commence.
- Hi, the “Unlock all results” button.
- Enter your email address to continue.
Pros
- Find the phone number owner online without contacting your phone company.
- You can investigate the phone numbers without alerting their owners.
- Can access names, city, carrier information, and links to connecting online profiles.
- It will flag numbers that have been previously reported as spam or scams.
Cons
- Information is crowdsourced, so there’s always a degree of incorrect sources.
- Sometimes, the returns carrier provides information or a general location.
- There’s no free charge.
Google the phone number
Next, you can find more information about the phone number by searching on Google. If the owner has published that phone number publicly, such as on website pages, forums, or more, you will find it. Here’s how it works:
- Go to Google and type in the phone number. First, do so without the +60 code and then with it.
- You will see the number on any public website pages, social media posts, and more.
Pros
- It’s free and accessible.
- You can immediately find out if the phone number is public.
- Access direct links to their business websites and pages.
Cons
- Lower chances of success, and the process requires a significant amount of effort.
- You might find information about similar numbers or area codes without seeing what you need.
- You can’t confirm if the owner is current or accurate.
- Searching for suspicious numbers can trigger scam sites.
Use Malaysian phone directories
Malaysian phone directories can also provide direct access to find the owner of a phone number, especially if the person runs a business as well. This is because people often set up their profiles on directories to help customers and other vendors easily find them. That said, you should use local phone directories assigned to specific cities to find the most accurate information. But here’s how to use two popular directories for your Malaysian phone number owner search:
- On WhitePages, enter the full number and hit the search button. Review the results, which may lead to other websites or listings.
- Similarly, enter the phone number in the Yellow Pages and filter by location.
Pros
- Business listings will include names, addresses, and alternate contact information.
- Malaysian phone directories are entirely free.
- Anyone can check these directories instantly.
Cons
- You’ll only find personal phone numbers if the owner voluntarily registered them.
- Please note that these directories are best suited for verifying registered companies.
- Sometimes, scammers set up their own fake profiles.
- Unlisted or new businesses won’t appear.
Another great way to check a phone number is to search on social media. People often link their profiles to their phone numbers or display them publicly in their bios and posts. So you can try using this method via the following steps:
- Log in to your Facebook account.
- Go to the search bar and type in the full number. First, do so with the +60 and then try it without it.
- You should also try other formats, such as the phone number with gaps or with a zero in front, and without a country code. For example: 0123456789, +60123456789 or 012-345 6789
- Find results under the “People” or “Pages” tab.
Pros
- You’ll find their information on your Facebook pages.
- This method accesses their names, photos, workplaces, mutual connections, and more.
- You can check through posts or reviews posted by them and others to help evaluate their legitimacy.
Cons
- Most people keep their phone numbers private. So, you might not always get the results you want.
- People can have old accounts that can be misleading.
- Scammers set up fake profiles.
With a caller ID app
Caller ID apps are also fantastic tools to help check phone number’s Malaysian owner of a phone number. Caller ID apps like Truecaller depend on the data from other users to help identify unknown numbers. Users contribute their contact lists and have options to add personal details about interactions with suspicious phone numbers. This can prove helpful. Here’s how to use it:
- Install Truecaller on your Android or IOS phone.
- Enable permissions for contact access and call/SMS monitoring.
- Now, launch the app.
- Search manually by inputting the phone number and hitting the search button.
Pros
- You can set up the Truecaller caller ID app to automatically scan incoming calls and flag those from scams or spam.
- Community reports regularly on fraudsters.
- Works excellently well for finding information about mobile numbers.
- The basic Malaysian phone number search is completely free of charge.
Cons
- The free app contains ads.
- Sometimes, you won’t be able to access the person’s name if previous users stored it using nicknames or outdated information.
- It only identifies the phone numbers that other users have shared with it.
- Comes with ads and frequent pop-ups to upgrade and pay for a subscription.
Contact Malaysian phone carriers
Many Malaysian telcos manage subscriber data. However, they might not disclose personal details due to privacy laws. However, you can report suspicious phone numbers to them or have them offer insights on whether the phone number is connected to spam activities. Here’s how to use this:
- First, gather your evidence, including the exact time and date of the incident. Also, note down the phone number. It makes sense to keep screenshots of the call logs and SMS.
- Contact your telco using their customer care phone numbers. For Maxis, call *123# or use the MyMaxis App. For Digi, call *128# or the Digi App. And for Celcom, dial *118# or use the Celcom Life App.
- If unresolved through your telecom company, file a complaint with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Pros
- Telcos can help block phone numbers or investigate fraud.
- They also help keep records of suspicious phone numbers to assist others.
- You can block them from repeatedly calling you.
Cons
- They won’t reveal the caller’s identity to you.
- Sometimes their actual resolutions take weeks to get.
- If you want them to take it seriously, you may need to involve law enforcement or obtain a court warrant.
Is it legal to check the phone number owner in Malaysia?
Malaysia has a strict Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) that governs the checking of phone number owners. According to the law, you should only check out phone numbers to verify suspected scams and other information. Under the law, you are free to use tools like Truecaller, LocatePhone, Google, or directories to do so for your personal security. However, you should never use these methods with the intent of harassment, stalking, or unauthorized data collection.
FAQs
How to get Malaysian SIM owner details?
Generally, you can’t directly get SIM owner details in Malaysia. However, you can try using tools like LocatePhone and Truecaller to uncover insights into the owner’s name, social media profiles, and other information.
Can I find the address of a phone number owner in Malaysia?
It depends on whether their address is publicly available. Generally, most tools typically find business addresses or mailing addresses that users provide when registering on a public platform.
What if the number is private or unlisted?
Unlisted phone numbers don’t appear on Google or in directories. You can still use caller ID apps like Truecaller or reverse phone lookup services like LocatePhone to find valuable insights about the owner of that phone number.
Conclusion
Now we’ve talked about the many ways to check the phone number owner in Malaysia. Be sure to use these methods whenever you receive suspicious calls. It is more diligent never to assume the identity of an unknown caller. Instead, prioritise using tools like LocatePhone to help you make more informed decisions in real-time. Within minutes, you can access all the information you need to make intelligent decisions about the call or SMS you received.
