You’re sitting at dinner, your phone buzzed, and you see a number starting with +97. It looks weird. It isn't the usual +1 from the US or a +44 from the UK. You might think it’s a typo, but honestly, it’s just the gateway to a huge chunk of the Middle East and Central Asia.
Most people think "97" is a single country. It isn't.
In the world of international telecommunications, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) handles the "Big Picture" of how we call each other. They chopped the world into zones. Zone 9 is basically the Middle East and parts of South Asia. So, when you see a country code starting with 97, you aren't looking at one nation; you're looking at a sub-block that contains some of the wealthiest and most politically complex countries on the planet.
Which countries actually use country code 97 variations?
If you get a call starting with +97, the next digit is the dealbreaker. It’s the "identifier" that tells you exactly where that signal is bouncing from.
Let’s look at +971. That’s the United Arab Emirates. If you’re getting a call from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, that’s what pops up. It’s a massive hub for business, so if you’re in tech or finance, you probably see this more than you’d like. Then you have +972, which belongs to Israel. It’s one of the oldest assignments in that block.
Things get interesting with +973 (Bahrain) and +974 (Qatar). During the World Cup a few years back, +974 was arguably the most searched prefix on Google. People were trying to figure out if their hotel in Doha was calling them back or if it was just another telemarketer.
Then there’s the rest of the 97 family. +975 is Bhutan, that tiny, beautiful kingdom in the Himalayas. +976 is Mongolia. +977 is Nepal. It’s a weird grouping, right? You have the high-tech skyscrapers of Dubai sharing a prefix family with the mountain trails of Kathmandu.
The Mystery of +970 and Palestinian Authority
There is a lot of confusion around +970. For a long time, calls to the Palestinian Territories were routed through the Israeli infrastructure (+972). However, the ITU eventually allocated +970 specifically for the Palestinian Authority.
Depending on your carrier, you might see either one. Some international networks still haven't fully updated their routing tables to recognize +970 as distinct from +972 in terms of billing or caller ID displays. It’s a technical headache that mirrors a very real geopolitical one.
Why are you getting spam from +97 country codes?
Let's be real. If you don't know anyone in Kuwait (+965—wait, that's a different block, but often confused) or the UAE (+971), you’re probably suspicious.
Scammers love the 97 block. Why? Because these countries are perceived as "wealthy." If you see a call from a country known for its billionaires, your brain might do a weird little flip. Maybe it's an investment opportunity? No. It’s almost never an investment opportunity.
One common tactic is the "One Ring" scam, also known as Wangiri. The phone rings once from a +97x number. You see a missed call from, say, Jordan (+962, different block but nearby) or a +97 prefix. You call back out of curiosity. Suddenly, you’re connected to a premium-rate service that drains your phone credit or adds massive charges to your monthly bill.
It’s a simple trick. It works because we’re curious creatures.
Decoding the 97 Prefix: A Quick Reference
Since we can't do a table, let's just run through the most common ones you'll actually see on your screen.
- +971: United Arab Emirates. Very common for business calls.
- +972: Israel. High-tech hub, lots of "Your Amazon package is delayed" scams also spoof this.
- +973: Bahrain. Small island, big banking sector.
- +974: Qatar. If you follow soccer or energy markets, you know this one.
- +975: Bhutan. If you get a call from here and don't know a monk, it’s probably a wrong number.
- +976: Mongolia.
- +977: Nepal.
- +970: Palestine.
There is no "Country 97." It’s just the start of the story.
How the ITU decides these numbers
The International Telecommunication Union is a specialized agency of the United Nations. They’re based in Geneva. They don’t just hand out numbers like candy.
The E.164 recommendation is the actual "bible" for this. It defines the structure of international phone numbers. A number can’t be longer than 15 digits. The country code is the first part, followed by the national destination code (area code), and then the subscriber number.
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Back in the day, when physical switchboards were a thing, the length of the country code was actually a big deal. Countries with more "pull" or earlier adoption of phone systems often got shorter codes. The US got +1. Russia got +7. As the world expanded and more nations needed their own identity, the codes got longer—three digits like +971.
What to do if you get a suspicious +97 call
Don't panic. But also, don't be a hero.
If you aren't expecting a call from the Middle East or the Himalayas, just let it go to voicemail. Most automated scam bots won't leave a message. If it’s a real person, they’ll leave a name and a reason for calling.
Actually, check your WhatsApp. A lot of people in the +97 regions use WhatsApp as their primary communication tool because international calling rates are still sky-high in some of those countries. If someone is trying to reach you legitimately from Dubai or Tel Aviv, they’ll likely ping you on an app first.
The technical side: Why "97" matters for VoIP
If you’re a developer or you run a business, understanding these prefixes is crucial for your "white-listing" or "black-listing" protocols. Many companies block the entire 9 prefix block because of high fraud rates.
But if you do that, you're cutting off some of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Imagine blocking +971 and realizing you just ghosted a potential investor from the Dubai International Financial Centre.
Instead of blocking the whole country code, modern systems use STIR/SHAKEN protocols (mostly in the US and Canada, but expanding) to verify if the caller ID is actually legitimate. It’s not a perfect system yet, especially for international calls originating from the +97 block, but it’s getting there.
Actionable steps for handling international codes
If you find yourself frequently dealing with international numbers, especially those starting with +97, follow these steps to stay safe and organized:
- Use a Caller ID App: Apps like Truecaller or Hiya have massive databases of reported scam numbers from the Middle East and Asia. They can often flag a +971 or +974 number as "Scam Likely" before you even pick up.
- Verify the Length: Most countries in the 97 block have specific number lengths. For example, a UAE (+971) mobile number usually has 9 digits after the country code. If you see a number that is way too long or too short, it’s a spoof.
- Check Your Billing: If you accidentally call back a +977 number, call your provider immediately. Sometimes they can reverse the charge if you report it as a Wangiri scam right away.
- Google the Full Number: Before calling back, paste the entire number into Google. There are dozens of "Who called me?" forums where people report specific scam scripts used by numbers in the +97x range.
- Separate Business from Personal: If you do business in these regions, use a dedicated VoIP line (like Google Voice or Zoom Phone). It keeps your personal number off the "sucker lists" that scammers trade on the dark web.
The world is smaller than it used to be. A call from +97 isn't necessarily a threat, but it's definitely a reminder that the global phone grid is a messy, interconnected web. Stay skeptical, keep your "97" prefixes straight, and never call back a number you don't recognize.