Last Updated on 11 months by Anoob P T
Here are common phone scams and List of Scam Area Codes Not to Answer.
| Common Scam Area Codes | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786, 305 |
| Austin | Area Code 512 |
| Dallas | Area Code 972, 214 |
| Baltimore | Area Code 410 |
| San Antonio | Area Code 210 |
| Phoenix | Area Code 602 |
| Oklahoma City | Area Code 405 |
If you are tired of getting scam area code calls on your number, you can try signing up for a service like Robokiller.
When I was heading marketing for a large coworking company, I set up the entire cloud telephony infrastructure.
This included setting up toll free numbers, hiring a team of customer support executives, setting up Quality control, improving scripts, improving the whole telephony flow for our customers.
I had used a virtual telephony system back then which meant that calls from around the world were hitting a toll free number such as calls from a different Area Code numbers and then routed back to our customer support executives.
One of the biggest problems plaguing the telephony industry is spam and scam calls. When you get a call from an unknown number, especially a toll free number it is usually a scam and unless you are aware of the caller, it is best to ignore the call.
List of Scam Area Codes Not to Answer & Avoid
Table of Contents
What is a Phone Area Code Scam?
Phone scams have been around for a very long time.
While online scams have increased in the recent past, some frauders still prefer to use the old-fashioned phone scams to make money.
In 2020 alone, it was estimated that 68.4 million Americans became victim and lost money to a phone scam.
According to a CNBC report, in 2021, Americans lost $29.8 billion to phone scams and this number is only increasing.
Phone scamming in itself has become a billion dollar industry and there are many ways in which phone scammers work.
The easiest way to avoid phone area code scams is to know different types of scams and how scamsters operate.
As credit card companies and online banking companies started strengthening thier fraud detections, area code scams have increased as it is relatively easier to pull off this scam and once money is transferred to a scamster, it is almost impossible to get it back.
Why its Difficult to Get Money Back from Scam Area Code Callers
- They usually operate outside the jurisdiction of United States
- Phone Area Scammers use network of accounts to push money out of the country
- Phone Area Scammers use fake IDs for bank accounts
- Phone Area Scammers use Call Spoofing software to make the number seem like numbers of official government offices.
According to the Federal Trade Commission’s 2017, consumer’s complaint annual data summary, 58% of Americans filed a complaint against the phone scam fraud and losing their money.
Common types of Phone Area Code Scams
FBI Area Code Scam
FBI area code scam like the name suggests is about a caller impersonating an FBI officer and claiming that there is an FBI investigation ongoing against the call receiver.
The caller usually says that certain charges are filed or will soon be filed against them so if they do not want to get in any sort of legal trouble they should make certain amount of payment via prepaid methods, immediately to cease legal Proceedings.
FBI is headquarted in Washington DC with other main offices in New York City, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami.
FBI Area Code Scammers usually call from area codes serving these cities to make the call look more authentic.
Some of the scam area codes used for FBI area code scam include:
| FBI Scam Area Codes to Avoid | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786 |
IRS Area Code Scam
Internal Revenue Service Scam (IRS Scam) is another common type of Area Code scam that has been reported.
The scammers generally send you emails, calls you regularly in order to first warn you as an IRS employee and create fake things like you have to pay some type of penalty. The central IRS authority never initiates conversation with taxpayers directly through emails, calls or social media.
In the IRS scam, the caller identifies as an agent of the IRS and says that there are some pending dues with the IRS and they will threaten arrest.
IRS Area Code scam calls can also try to verify your identity before proceeding the the scam.
IRS scammers threaten with arrest and say that unless a sum of money is instantly transferred they will issue an arrest warrant.
Obviously, no IRS officer will call and threaten with arrest and if you get such a call, the best thing to do is disconnect the call and block the number.
Scammers can also call from any Area code number and leave a voice message asking for the potential victim to call back.
Once they receive a call back, scammers usually make up some story about pending fines, dues and then try to collect personal information.
Such scammers will usually threaten with legal proceedings or immediate arrest to intimidate victims into paying up.
If you get such calls from Area Code Numbers, never disclose any person information and if the caller keeps calling just block the number.
IRS Area code scammers often use spoofing software to make numbers look like genuine government agency number and then try to scam people.
Area Code 781 is reported to be used widely for IRS area code scams.
| IRS Scam Area Codes | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786, 305 |
| Austin | Area Code 512 |
| Dallas | Area Code 972, 214 |
| Baltimore | Area Code 410 |
| San Antonio | Area Code 210 |
| Oklahoma City | Area Code 405 |
Traffic Pumping Scam Area Codes
Traffic Pumping is also referred to as Access Stimulation. In this scam a local call carrier with high access charge rates comes into an arrangement with another company with a high rate of call volume such as chat lines, free conference calls etc.
This distorted arrangement stimulates the total calls into the local carrier’s area. The profit for the local companies from such arrangements or from doing the call stimulations are very high.
Although not as common as other type of area code scams such as IRS, FBI and tech support scams, Traffic Pumping area code scams are also prevalent.
To know more about Traffic Pumping, you can read this post from official FCC website.
| Traffic Pumping Area Code Scam | |
| City | Area Code |
| Sioux City | Area code 712 |
| Minnesota’s Cities including Duluth, Hibbing, Brainerd, Bemidji, Fergus Falls, and Moorhead | Area Code 218 |
Tech Support Scam Area Codes
Tech Support Scam is also known as Technical Support Scam is a type of area code scam in which scam callers pretend to be legitimate technicians working for large tech companies such as Microsoft or Google.
In most cases, scammers try to trick call recievers into believing that there is some problem with your Mobile or PC or it is infected by some virus.
The scammers then asks for a fee for repairing or fixing the technical issue and in the process take your personal information or financial information.
In some cases, scammers also want remote access to your PC to download some sort of malware that can easily transfer your data to them and make your PC unusable.
| Tech Support Scam Area Codes | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786, 305 |
| Austin | Area Code 512 |
| Dallas | Area Code 972, 214 |
| Baltimore | Area Code 410 |
| San Antonio | Area Code 210 |
| Oklahoma City | Area Code 405 |
Insurance Area Code Scam
Next on our list of scam area codes numbers to avoid is Insurance area code scams.
Insurance area code scammers try different ways to make you fall for them including asking you to do insurance fraud and then threatening, having you change your insurance plan to a non-existant plan.
Some users have reported Insurance Area Code Scam callers to be using the templates:
- This call is being done through the employee of a certain insurance policy providing branch and is being recorded, you can transfer your existing policies to new policies for gaining better returns.
- As being a valued and long-time customer, you are entitled to a bonus for such. Instead of transferring this bonus directly to your account/code will rather be transferred to the agent’s code for security purposes. Kindly give your account details as soon as possible so that we can transfer your bonus to you without any further delay.
Insurance area code scammers usually get insurace details from past policies and then tempt users into thinking they are getting a better deal.
If someone is calling you with an opportunity to make quick money using insurance fraud, then understand that the call is being recorded and they will most likely extort money from you.
| Insurance Scam Area Codes | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786, 305 |
| Austin | Area Code 512 |
| Dallas | Area Code 972, 214 |
| Baltimore | Area Code 410 |
| San Antonio | Area Code 210 |
| Oklahoma City | Area Code 405 |
One Ring Area Scam Code
As the name suggests in itself, One Ring area scam code works as the scammers call and let your phone ring just once.
This sudden call will usually make the recipient curious and call back or maybe just try to pick up the first ring.
This will make the scammers know that the particular number is active and proceed to next phase of scamming.
If you get such one ring calls on your number, do not call back and you can even block the number.
Some common one ring area code scam codes include
- 268: Antigua and Barbuda
- 284: British Virgin Islands
- 473 : Grenada. Carriacou and Petite Martinique
- 664 : Montserrat
- 649 : Turks and Caicos Islands
- 767: Commonwealth of Dominica
- 809 : Dominican Republic
Robocall Scams (Different Area Codes)
Robocalls or automated calls are used by scammers to reach large number of people in a very short time. Robocallers keep dialling numbers till someone answers and when the call is answered, it is transferred to a human scammer.
You can watch this video to know how Robocalls work:
Some of the common area codes that are being used for Robocalls include: Area Code 991, 225, 770 and 404.
Prizes & Lottery Scams
Next on our list of scam area code calls to avoid is Prize and lottery scams. Such scammers generally people living at basic level of income and attract them by sending emails, calls, text messages, asking you to take certain lottery tickets or participate in online contests.
If you take the bait and do buy some lottery tickets or take part in such contests you will be assured of cash vouchers, big gift vouchers or free trips and free vacations.
Scammers often ask you to transfer a certain amount of money in-order to get your name registered for a lottery ticket or contest and then people who transfer money without knowing about the scam gets fooled and never get any prizes or calls back.
Another common area code lottery scam is when the caller says that you have won the prize and that you need to pay taxes on the winnings to claim your money.
| Lottery Prize Scam Area Codes | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786, 305 |
| Austin | Area Code 512 |
| Dallas | Area Code 972, 214 |
| Baltimore | Area Code 410 |
| San Antonio | Area Code 210 |
| Oklahoma City | Area Code 405 |
Area Code Loan Scams
With this type of scam, scammers call you with lucrative loan offers that are just too good to be true.
Area code loan scam callers can also claim that they can restructure your loans for a better plan and that you just need to pay a small fee for processinig.
Some scammers can also ask for security money to approve the loan and you should know that no financial institution asks for money beforehand for providing the loan.
Some common area codes reported for loan scams include area code 844, 571, 202.
Police Arrest Area Code Scam
This is one of the oldest area code phone scams in existance. The caller usually pretends to be a police officer and says that there is an arrest warrant on the recipient and that they should settle the dues online to prevent legal proceedings.
Please note that no Police office has the right to call anyone and ask for money.
You can watch this video when a scammer actually calls a police officer by mistake.
| Police Arrest Scam Area Codes | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786, 305 |
| Austin | Area Code 512 |
| Dallas | Area Code 972, 214 |
| Baltimore | Area Code 410 |
| San Antonio | Area Code 210 |
| Detroit, Michigan | Area Code 419 |
| Oklahoma City | Area Code 405 |
Immigration Officer Area Code Scam
Immigration officer Area Code Scam works in the same manner as a Police Officer area code scam, the only difference being that the caller impersonates an immigration office.
Such scammers usually traget immigrants and says that there is some issue with the immigration process and they demand transferring money online to get your papers in order.
Scammers can also mention that you have broken some immigration laws and that there is a hefty penalty for suc h misdemeanours.
Immigration Officer Area Code Scam targets people in all states so you should not be surprised if you are getting lot of calls from different state numbers as well.
| Immigration Scam Area Codes | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786, 305 |
| Austin | Area Code 512 |
| Dallas | Area Code 972, 214 |
| Baltimore | Area Code 410 |
| San Antonio | Area Code 210 |
| Detroit, Michigan | Area Code 419 |
| Oklahoma City | Area Code 405 |
Grandparents Area Code Scam
Grandparents Area Code Scam involves a caller pretending to be an elderly person’s dependant child and that thier grandparents have gotten in some mishap and they need some money urgently.
In such scams, the scammers try to target older people to get thier sympathy and then proceed with the scam.
In case these scammers feel that the victim is about to make payment, they can also ask for more money and keep calling again and again to try to extract more money.
| Grandparents Area Code Scam | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786, 305 |
| Austin | Area Code 512 |
| Dallas | Area Code 972, 214 |
| Baltimore | Area Code 410 |
| San Antonio | Area Code 210 |
| Detroit, Michigan | Area Code 419 |
| Oklahoma City | Area Code 405 |
Neglecting Jury Duty Scam
Many people try to avoid jury duty and sometimes they just skip the process entirely. Most people don’t know the consequences of missing jury duty, and area code scammers takek advantage of this and try to threaten people with arrest an extract money.
Scammers call the victim pretending to be a jury member or court official and tell the victim that they have missed their jury duty and now have to pay a penalty or get arrested. Out of fear many people make online payments and then lose the money.
What happens when you don’t attend jury duty
In case you do not attend jury duty, you will get a postcard notifying you that you have failed to appear for your jury duty and the same postcard will have instructions on new jury dates. In case you do not attend future jury duty as well, then you can face fine, incarceration or both but nobody will call you to demand for money like how area code scammers do.
To know more about Jury Dury arrest warrant scam, you can watch this video.
| Neglecting Jury Duty Scam | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786, 305 |
| Austin | Area Code 512 |
| Dallas | Area Code 972, 214 |
| Baltimore | Area Code 410 |
| San Antonio | Area Code 210 |
| Detroit, Michigan | Area Code 419 |
| Phoenix City | Area Code 602 |
| Oklahoma City | Area Code 405 |
Utility Company Scam (Area Code Scam)
Next type of scam area code calls you need to watch out for is utility company scam.
With this type of scam, scammers pretends to be the representative or owner of an Utility Company and threaten the recipient that there are some pending dues which need to be paid of immediately.
Scammers also threaten to cut the power supply if the money is not paid and if the scammers feel that the victim is scared, they can even demand thousands of dollars.
Some scammers can also bait people into switching their utility company plan for a different plan and ask for a fee to make the switch.
If you get such calls to be claiming from the representative of a utility company, please hang up and block the caller.
| Utility Company Scam (Area Code Scam) | |
| City | Area Code |
| Washington City | Area code 202 |
| New York City | Area Code 212, 917, 718, 646 |
| Los Angeles | Area Codes 213, 310, 424, 661, 818 and 323 |
| Chicago | Area Codes 312, 773 |
| Miami | Area Code 786, 305 |
| Austin | Area Code 512 |
| Dallas | Area Code 972, 214 |
| Baltimore | Area Code 410 |
| San Antonio | Area Code 210 |
| Detroit, Michigan | Area Code 419 |
| Oklahoma City | Area Code 405 |
Area Codes You Should Not Answer or Call Back
According to Federal Trade Commission or FTC, area codes 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876 should not be answered or call back as these have been reported to be used for phone scams.
You should not answer calls from area codes 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876 unless you know the business and unknown calls or voice mails from these area code numbers should be ignored.
Other International Area Codes Used for Area Code Scamming
In addition to these area codes mentioned above, scammers are also known to be using other international area codes for phone related scams. This is primarily because most of the area code are (+1) area codes for North American region.
| Area Code | Country |
| Area Code 232 | Sierra Leone |
| Area Code 242 | Bahamas |
| Area Code 246 | Barbados |
| Area Code 268 | Antigua |
| Area Code 284 | British Virgin Islands |
| Area Code 345 | Cayman Islands |
| Area Code 441 | Bermuda |
| Area Code 473 | Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique |
| Area Code 649 | Turks and Caicos |
| Area Code 664 | Montserrat |
| Area Code 721 | Sint Maarten |
| Area Code 758 | St. Lucia |
Area code scammers often use spoofing software to make numbers look like genuine government agency number and then try to scam people.
You can also report such numbers and raise a complaint with IC3 government website using this official link.
You can also visit this official FBI website to know about common scams and how you can prevent them.
Area code phone scammers modus operandi starts with either leaving a request for callback or asking for personal information if someone picks up the call.
Usually with such calls, caller first checks the identity of the victim and then proceeds to threaten with serious consequences unless the issue is fixed.
Scammers can also use a Robocall software, the dialler is non-stop and the system will keep calling numbers in its database till they get an answer.
You can watch this video to know more about how scam baiting works.
After buying databases from third party, scammers often engage in bulk calling to identify the numbers that are active.
If anyone calls back, the scammers or spammers know that the number is active and then proceed to next phase of scamming.
You should know that FBI / IRS officers cannot issue an arrest warrant or demand payment over phone calls.
If you are getting lot of calls from area code numbers claiming to be from a government agency–then just hang up and block the number.
Phone scams using area code numbers are usually made by scammers from outside the US so that they are out of jurisdiction.
To know more about Phone Scams you can watch this video.
How to Prevent Area Code Scams
Easiest way to prevent area code scams is to be aware of common scams and not to encourage scammers by disclosing any personal information.
To prevent area code scams, here are few things you can do.
- Never disclose personal information to callers
- Always look up area code numbers before calling back
- Do not call back unknown area code numbers even if they leave many voice messages for call back.
If you notice that you are getting lot of calls from different area code numbers, it might be a good idea to look up the numbers on Google and block the numbers.
How Do Scammers Get Numbers for Area Code Scam
There are many ways in which scammers get your phone number for calling and trying to scam you out of money.
Usually, scammers target job sites, credit score companies and third party companies that sell data for dirt cheap.
Data is also available on the dark web and on obtaining these numbers, scammers try to verify the numbers using automated calls.
How to Block Area code Scam calls
If you are getting lot of unwanted calls from unknown Area code numbers, you can choose to block numbers from these area codes.
Unwanted area code calls could be a sign that your number has leaked online and scammers are trying to find and verify your identity.
How to Block Area Code Calls in Android
Go to Calls History
Tap on “i” Next to the Phone Number
Select Block
How to Block Area Code Calls in iPhone
Go to Calls List
Click on Circled “i”
Select More Information
Select Block Caller
You can also register your numbers on the national Do Not Call list for free by calling 1-888-382-1222 (voice) or 1-866-290-4236 (TTY). You must call from the phone number you wish to register.
If you are tired of getting scam area code calls on your number, you can try signing up for a service like Robokiller.
Frequently Asked Questions about Scam Area Codes
What area code should I not answer?
According to Federal Trade Commission or FTC, area codes 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876 should not be answered or call back as these have been reported to be used for phone scams.
How can you tell a scammer number?
You can tell a scammer number is the area codes are 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876 and if the caller usually leaves a single ring, voice mail or continously calls till you attend the call.
Which area code gets the most spam calls?
Area Code 404, area code 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876 have been reported to be used for most spam calls.
Is 252 a scam area code?
Yes area code 252 has been reported for IRS, Tech Support, FBI and insurance related scams.
Is 844 a legitimate area code?
844 is a legitimate area code, but there have been scam and spam calls reported from this area code numbers.
How do I block the area code calls on my iPhone?
Go to Calls List
Click on Circled “i”
Select More Information
Select Block Caller
Can you get hacked by answering a phone call?
No, but it is a way for scammers to verify that a number is in use so it is best to not answer unwanted calls at all.
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