# Telegram Phone Number Checker (otlite)

Check if phone numbers are connected to Telegram accounts.

- Takes: Phone, Username
- Install: `otlite install telegram-phone-number-checker`, into its own virtualenv
- Pinned: [telegram-phone-number-checker==1.2.2](https://pypi.org/project/telegram-phone-number-checker/1.2.2/)
- Command: `telegram-phone-number-checker`
- Python: any otlite runs on (3.10 or newer)
- Verified: 24 Sept 2026, version 1.2.2 on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, Python 3.12.14
- Licence: MIT; 1,790 GitHub stars
- Source: https://github.com/bellingcat/telegram-phone-number-checker

otlite is the no-Docker edition of OTInstaller for Linux and macOS: [install it](https://otinstaller.com/otlite) with `curl -fsSL https://get.otinstaller.com/otlite | sh`.

## Run it

| Input | otlite command | Telegram Phone Number Checker receives |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Username | `otlite run telegram-phone-number-checker -- u:johndoe` | `telegram-phone-number-checker --usernames johndoe` |
| Phone | `otlite run telegram-phone-number-checker -- p:+14155550100` | `telegram-phone-number-checker --phone-numbers +14155550100` |

Arguments after `--` that aren't typed inputs go to the tool unchanged.

## Before you run it

- **Dual-use.** otlite prints this before installing it: You are solely responsible for how you use these tools and for complying with all applicable laws. Use them only on targets you are authorized to investigate.
- **Asks questions while it runs.** Run it on its own in a terminal; `otlite run --all`, `otlite auto` and playbooks skip it.
- **Needs a login or API key.** Set it up before the first lookup; batch runs skip it unless you pass `--include-credentialed`.
- Reads API_ID, API_HASH and PHONE_NUMBER, set with `otlite keys set`, and asks for them when they are not set.

## API keys

- `API_ID` (optional): `otlite keys set API_ID`
- `API_HASH` (optional): `otlite keys set API_HASH`
- `PHONE_NUMBER` (optional): `otlite keys set PHONE_NUMBER`

Keys live in `~/.otlite/.env`, readable only by you, and each tool receives only the keys it declares.

## What a run leaves

- `results/telegram-phone-number-checker/johndoe/<time>_telegram-phone-number-checker_johndoe_<run id>.txt`
- `results/telegram-phone-number-checker/johndoe/<time>_telegram-phone-number-checker_johndoe_<run id>.meta.json`
- `results/telegram-phone-number-checker/johndoe/<time>_telegram-phone-number-checker_johndoe_<run id>.envelope.json`

The envelope is the same shape for every tool: the tool and version, the input, timing, exit code and status, the emails, domains, IP addresses and URLs found in the output, and the output file's path, hash and size. `otlite results --tool telegram-phone-number-checker` lists saved runs, `otlite extract telegram-phone-number-checker` pulls out indicators and `otlite diff telegram-phone-number-checker johndoe` compares the two latest runs.

## With other tools

Batch runs skip it: asks questions while it runs; run it on its own.

## Related tools

- [Toutatis](https://otinstaller.com/otlite/tools/toutatis.md): Toutatis is a tool that allows you to extract information from instagrams accounts such as e-mails, phone numbers and more
- [Sherlock](https://otinstaller.com/otlite/tools/sherlock.md): Hunt down social media accounts by username across social networks
- [Maigret](https://otinstaller.com/otlite/tools/maigret.md): Collect a dossier on a person by username from 6K websites
- [Spiderfoot](https://otinstaller.com/otlite/tools/spiderfoot.md): SpiderFoot automates OSINT for threat intelligence and mapping your attack surface
- [Instaloader](https://otinstaller.com/otlite/tools/instaloader.md): Download pictures (or videos) along with their captions and other metadata from Instagram
- [Blackbird](https://otinstaller.com/otlite/tools/blackbird.md): OSINT tool to search for accounts by username and email across social networks

[All 47 otlite tools](https://otinstaller.com/otlite/tools) · [otlite docs](https://otinstaller.com/docs/otlite.md)