Fake Phone Numbers Are a Gateway to Fraud. Are You Closing the Door?
A phone number is more than your contact information. It’s also a unique digital identifier that connects users to their accounts, transactions, and communications.
But fraudsters know how to exploit weak phone verification, and not every phone number is what it seems.
They cycle through disposable numbers, use non-fixed VoIP services, or enter completely fake data to slip past security measures undetected. And once they’re in, they can create synthetic identities, commit payment fraud, and take over accounts before you even realize something’s wrong.
AtData’s phone validation goes beyond a simple yes-or-no check: it looks at phone activity, carrier details, and risk signals in real time, making sure the numbers in your system connect to real people, not bad actors trying to slip through the cracks.
Missed Connections: How Fraudsters Use Fake Phone Numbers to Slip Through
Fraudsters don’t want to be reached. They drop fake numbers like missed calls, hoping no one notices before they take what they need and disappear.
They’re not here to pick up—just to pass your security checks unnoticed. But AtData makes sure every number tells the right story.
Spam Calls, Burner Phones, and Dead Ends: Three Types of Fraudulent Numbers
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The Burner Number: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
A fraudster signs up with a disposable VoIP number, claims a promo code, and vanishes. You try to follow up, but the number is already disconnected.
How AtData Helps: Flags temporary, prepaid, and high-risk phone numbers before they’re accepted.
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The Untraceable Line: The Number You’ll Never Call Back
Synthetic fraudsters use non-fixed VoIP numbers tied to fake identities, giving them just enough legitimacy to pass through your system.
How AtData Helps: Detects numbers that don’t belong to real, verifiable users, stopping fraud before it escalates.
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The Dead-End Number: Silence on the Other End
A fraudster enters a completely fake number just to get past sign-up. No real person will ever pick up, but by then, they’re already inside.
How AtData Helps: Instantly validates phone numbers in real time, rejecting fake entries before they create bigger problems.
Know Who’s Really on the Other End
AtData’s phone validation goes beyond just checking if a number exists—it confirms whether it’s real, active, and tied to an actual customer. No more dead-end data, no more wasted time chasing ghosts.
Because if a phone number leads to a dead end, it’s a red flag you can’t afford to ignore. See how AtData helps you verify phone numbers in real time and stop fraud before it dials in.
More Than Just a Number: What AtData’s Phone Validation Checks
- Is the number real? Instantly verifies whether a phone number is valid, active, and properly formatted.
- Who owns it? Identifies carrier details and phone type, distinguishing between mobile, VoIP, and landlines.
- Is it risky? Flags prepaid, non-fixed VoIP, and suspicious phone numbers tied to fraud.
- Has it been used for fraud before? Matches phone numbers against fraud consortium data, catching repeat offenders.
Phone Validation in Action:
Stopping Fraud in Real Time
A BNPL lender saw a spike in fraudulent applications, all using different phone numbers. On the surface, the data looks fine. But AtData’s phone validation spots the warning signs:
- The numbers are all non-fixed VoIP, linked to temporary phone services.
- Several numbers belong to the same provider known for high-risk activity.
- None of the numbers show consistent, long-term activity.
Instead of approving these applications and risking chargebacks and defaults, the lender blocks them instantly, protecting revenue and minimizing losses.
Why AtData? Smarter Fraud Prevention, Seamless Integration
- Stop fraudulent sign-ups by blocking fake and high-risk numbers.
- Reduce false positives by confirming legitimate users without added friction.
- Strengthen fraud prevention models with real-time phone intelligence.
Phone validation is more than checking numbers, it’s about protecting your business.
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