Quick answer
+91 is India. Indian mobiles are ten digits starting 6, 7, 8 or 9, written +91 then those ten digits. A +91 call can be a relative, a company whose support desk is in India, or an impersonation of a UK bank or tech firm. Ofcom has taken action on scam calls from abroad; that does not make every +91 call a scam. Do not ring back a one-ring missed call. EE's published standard rate to India, checked 8 September 2026, is £4.64 a minute.
What a +91 number looks like
India's Department of Telecommunications numbering plan uses +91 plus a ten-digit national significant number.
| Pattern | What you see | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile (starts 6, 7, 8 or 9) | +91 98xxx xxxxx (example) | Mobile |
| Landline with STD code | +91 11… Delhi, +91 22… Mumbai, +91 33… Kolkata, +91 44… Chennai, +91 80… Bengaluru | Landline |
0091 is the same code from a UK landline.
A +91 number is not a UK 09 premium-rate number. 09… is British premium-rate. +91… is India. Do not mix them up when you decide whether to call back - both can be expensive, for different reasons.
Our free phone number checker is built for UK numbers. For +91, use the format above and your own context.
Who genuinely calls from an Indian number
Two large, legitimate facts sit next to each other:
- Diaspora and travel. ONS country-of-birth figures have long placed India among the largest non-UK-born populations in England and Wales. Family, students and business travel generate ordinary +91 calls every day.
- Outsourcing. UK banks, insurers, broadband providers, airlines and software firms run support and sales desks in India. Those desks often present a UK 01/02/03/08 number - but not always. A +91 callback from "the same person you were just speaking to" can be genuine if you started the contact.
A +91 call that fits family, a trip, or a company you already use is often real. A +91 call that starts the relationship, claims to be your UK bank, and wants a code or a transfer, is not.
Indian mobiles roaming in the UK still show +91. Calling one back is an international call even if the person is in Britain. A UK company whose support desk is in India will usually present a UK 03 or 08 number; if they call you from +91 instead, that can still be the same desk - verify by calling the number on your bill or in the app, not by staying on the inbound line.
Scam patterns tied to +91
Ofcom has published enforcement and consumer material on "cracking down on scam calls from abroad", including the 2024 rules that make it harder for overseas-originated calls to present a UK landline caller ID. That is why some scam operations now show the foreign code instead of a spoofed 0161.
Patterns tied to +91 on UK phones:
- UK-bank or card impersonation. A caller who knows your name (data from a breach or a previous phishing text) and wants you to move money or read a one-time code. Genuine UK banks do not call from +91. Hang up; dial 159.
- Tech-support / "Microsoft" scripts. A remote-access request, a refund story, a request to buy gift cards. We cover the wider pattern in Microsoft tech-support scams.
- One-ring / Wangiri. Less famous on +91 than on Caribbean or African codes, but the same rule applies: do not return a number that rang once and stopped. See Wangiri.
None of those patterns mean "Indian numbers are scams". They mean unexpected +91 calls that want money or codes are high risk.
What ringing back a +91 number costs
A callback to India is international and almost never in your UK minutes.
EE's published standard rate to India, checked on 8 September 2026 at ee.co.uk/help/mobile/roaming/call-abroad/countries/india, is £4.64 a minute to mobiles and landlines (98p a text). EE's International Pass lists India at a few pence. Without it, a two-minute "who was that?" callback is more than nine pounds. O2, Vodafone and Three publish their own guides - check yours.
WhatsApp calls from a +91 number
WhatsApp is a default calling app for a lot of India–UK family traffic. It is also a default channel for "wrong number", investment and romance openers. Silence unknown callers. Never send money, codes or photos because a +91 WhatsApp call asked. A video call does not prove the person is who they say they are.
How to handle a +91 call
- Were you expecting anyone in India? Family, a trip, a company whose desk you already use?
- If they claim to be a UK bank, HMRC or Microsoft - hang up. Call back on a number you found yourself.
- Don't call back a one-ring missed call.
- Never share PINs, passwords, one-time codes or bank details on an inbound call, and never install remote-access software because a caller asked.
- Block and report - 7726, Action Fraud.
The bottom line
A +91 call is Indian. Between family and legitimate support desks, many into the UK are genuine. The expensive mistakes are ringing back a one-ring missed call on a £4.64-a-minute tariff, and trusting a UK-sounding official who is calling from +91. For Pakistan see who called me from a +92 number; for the wider list see who called me from an international number.
Frequently asked questions
Who called me from a +91 number?
Someone presenting an Indian number - family, a company with an India desk, or a scam using Indian caller ID. The code identifies India, not the caller.
Are Indian numbers always scams?
No. The UK has a large Indian community and a large legitimate outsourcing industry. Treat unexpected official-sounding +91 calls as high risk; do not treat every +91 call as fraud.
Should I call back a missed +91 call?
Not if it rang once and stopped, and not if you cannot see a reason. On EE's published standard rate a short callback is several pounds.
How much does it cost to call +91 from the UK?
EE's published standard rate to India on 8 September 2026 was £4.64 a minute. O2, Vodafone and Three set their own rates. Check before you dial.
Why am I getting WhatsApp calls from +91?
Either someone whose WhatsApp is registered to an Indian number (often family) or a stranger using WhatsApp to bypass your phone's spam filter. Silence unknown callers if you do not want the latter.