1800 at a glance
- Type
- Freephone
- Country
- Australia (+61)
- Number format
- 1800 XXX XXX (10 digits); some services use a 7-digit 180 XXXX number
- From abroad
- +61 1800
- Cost to call
- Free to call from Australian landlines and, under arrangements introduced by the ACMA from 2015, from Australian mobiles. Generally not reachable from overseas.
1800 numbers are freecall numbers: the business or organisation receiving the call pays for it, not the caller. Banks, insurers, government agencies, charities and help lines use them so customers can call at no cost. Since 2015, calls to 1800 numbers have also been free from Australian mobile phones, not only from landlines. The numbers work anywhere in Australia and do not show a location. Because 1800 numbers are designed for inbound calls, an outbound call that appears to come from an 1800 number is worth checking. Some organisations do display their 1800 number when they call, but scammers copy this trick to look official.
Scammers spoof well-known 1800 numbers of banks, telcos and government agencies. If unsure, hang up and call the organisation back on the number listed on its official website.
Who called me from 1800?
The prefix tells you what kind of number it is (freecall), but not who is behind it. Numbers can be ported between networks and caller ID can be spoofed, so a familiar code is no guarantee. Search the full number to see its current carrier, line type and whether other people have reported it. Read our Australian phone number guide for mobile prefixes, networks and the scams currently doing the rounds.