How to check if a number is toll-free

Seven codes — 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888 — are toll-free. Everything else is not, including lookalikes.

The toll-free list

A US number is toll-free only if its area code is exactly 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 or 888. These are Easily Recognizable Codes set aside for service where the called party pays. No other code — however similar — is toll-free.

Beware lookalikes

Codes like 801 (Utah), 803 (South Carolina), 883 or 889 are not toll-free. The classic trap is 809 and some other Caribbean codes: they look domestic, dial like domestic numbers, but are international calls that can carry premium rates. If you don't recognize a code, check it before calling back.

Toll-free ≠ trustworthy

Toll-free numbers are rented by anyone, including fraud operations, and toll-free caller IDs are spoofed like any other. Toll-free tells you about billing, not legitimacy.

Sources

• FCC — What Is a Toll-Free Number and How Does it Work?
• FCC — 'One Ring' Phone Scam

FAQ

Is calling an 855 number free from a cell phone?

The call itself is free to you — the business pays. Your plan's airtime minutes still apply, which matters only on limited-minute plans.

Can a toll-free number call me?

Yes, businesses make outbound calls from toll-free numbers. Treat unexpected ones with the same caution as any unknown caller.