30 Scam Phone Numbers To Block and Area Codes To Avoid

fizkes / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Scams are becoming more and more prevalent. They’re so common that experts have coined the term “scam economy.” Unfortunately, it’s easy to change a phone number, and scammers often do so to avoid getting caught. The good news is that scams operate in many known area codes, so you can avoid being the next victim simply by knowing the list of scammer phone numbers.

List of Scammer Phone Numbers

Wouldn’t it be great to have a list of scam phone numbers handy to avoid them altogether or at least have 1-888 scammer numbers be clear in their intention on the caller ID? Short of never answering the phone or putting yourself on every national “do not call” list, there are some red flags you can alert yourself to before accidentally giving out your Social Security number or being a victim of identity theft.

Here is a list of scammer phone numbers that are known by government agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission.

11 Common Scam Phone Numbers

• AT&T raffle winners: (904) 495-2559
• Bank account temporarily on hold scam: (858) 605-9622
• Card lock scam: (878) 877-1402
• Debit card frozen scam: (863) 532-7969
• Failed delivery attempt scam: (469) 709-7630
• Fake Publisher’s Clearing House win: (805) 637-7243 
• Student loan forgiveness scam: (202) 221-7923
• Weight loss and delivery scam: (312) 339-1227
• Wells Fargo text message scam: (865) 630-4266 
• Unpaid taxes scam: (347) 437-1689
• USPS scam: (301) 307-4601 

List of Scam Area Codes

More than 300 area codes exist in the United States alone which is a target-rich environment for phone scammers. The good news is that scam callers will often show up under common area codes for incoming calls. Here are 19 area codes you should never answer if you don’t know who’s on the other end.

19 Common Scam Area Codes

• 216: Cleveland, Ohio
• 218: Northern Minnesota
• 232: Sierra Leone
• 268: Antigua and Barbuda
• 284: British Virgin Islands
• 332: New York City
• 347: New York City 
• 469: Dallas, Texas
• 473: Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique
• 649: Turks and Caicos Islands
• 646: Manhattan
• 657: La Palma, California
• 664: Montserrat
• 712: Western Iowa
• 767: Commonwealth of Dominica
• 809: Dominican Republic
• 829: Dominican Republic
• 849: Dominican Republic
• 876: Jamaica

What Is a Scam Phone Number or Area Code?

Scam phone numbers and area codes typically involve calls you receive from numbers you don’t recognize. Often there is no customer service you can contact or law enforcement you can involve for these calls obfuscated by distance or sheer volume. Changing a phone number is easy, so it’s challenging to catch every scam phone number out there. 

However, if you get a call from a phone number or area code you don’t know, it’s likely best to avoid picking up the call and research the following before you call back: 

1. Look at the area code: Start by comparing the phone number’s area code to the list of area codes you should never answer. If it’s on the list, there’s a good chance there’s a scammer on the other end of the line. 
2. Scammer phone number lookup: Another option to determine if a phone number calling you is likely scam activity is to search for it on Google. Several websites track scam numbers, and a quick Google search may pull one of those sites up. If it’s a common scam number, you’ll probably find reports from people who have answered.

3 Common Types of Scam Calls 

Several different types of phone scams exist. Since there is no limit to a scam artist’s potential, recognizing signs of common scams will serve you well. Here are examples of three of the most common scams out there today and how to block these spam calls:

1. One-ring scams
2. Traffic pumping scams
3. Package delivery scams

1. One-Ring Scams

Scammers use one-ring scams to get you, the victim, to call back. The scammers use robo-dialers to call you and hang up after just one ring. When you call back to see who called, they might charge a connectivity fee and per-minute fees for what will appear on your bill as premium services.

In another variation of this scam, the con artists leave voice mails requesting that you call them urgently. They may say you have a sick relative or claim some other urgent matter. When you call back, the longer you stay on the phone, the more money they steal from you.

2. Traffic Pumping Scams

Traffic pumping is also known as access stimulation. It’s based on the way phone services work. When you make a long-distance call, your local carrier gives the call to a long-distance provider. That long-distance provider then covers the call most of the way before handing it off to another local provider. They pay an access fee to that provider for the ability to do so. 

Local carriers with high access fee rates may make arrangements with other companies with high call volume operations in an attempt to benefit from increased access fee revenues. Although this doesn’t cost you anything personally, it increases the costs of phone services for all.

3. Package Delivery Scams

This scam starts with a text message or voicemail saying you need to take action to receive your package. When you call back or click the link in the text, you end up on a website feedback page that looks like Amazon or another familiar site. On this site, you’re told you have won a prize.

To claim the prize, you need to give your credit card information. However, there’s no prize, and Amazon, UPS and USPS aren’t part of the conversation. Instead, it’s just scammers looking for your credit card number.

Final Take To GO

There will likely always be scams and scam phone numbers out there. The good news is that you can decide not to be the next victim. To avoid being taken advantage of by a scammer, use the following strategies:

• Call your carrier: Ask your carrier if they have any services to protect you from scam phone calls, or if you can file a complaint about robocalls and robotexts.
• Register on the National Do Not Call Registry: Put your phone number on the Federal Do Not Call Registry. This won’t stop all scams, but it could minimize the calls you get.
• Use apps: There are several spam-blocking apps you can use to avoid becoming the next victim.

Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.

Share This Article: