People living in California should avoid calls from 213 numbers, while New York residents should be careful about 917 calls, new research has revealed.
Analysis of hoax calls by data search company BeenVerified has discovered the most common area code for phone scams for every state in the US.
The organization collected more than 150,000 phone numbers reported by users of its reverse phone tool over the past two years. The tool allows users to look up a mysterious number to find out who is behind an unknown call or text – and help them decide whether or not to respond.
The warning comes amid a spate of fake callers and scam texts — with fraudsters using increasingly extreme tactics to get Americans to hand over their personal information.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers lost more than $326 million from scam texts in 2022 alone.
Analysis of hoax calls by data search firm BeenVerified has uncovered the number of the largest telephone scam area code for every state in the US.
Texans should avoid messages from 469 numbers, according to the study, while people living in Florida should be wary of 786 callers.
Of the more than 150,000 suspicious numbers analyzed by BeenVerified, the company has revealed the top 12 numbers nationwide that have been reported as scams the most.
Nine of the “Dirty Dozen” numbers were related to unwanted text messages that attempted to trick users into clicking a suspicious link or calling a phone number.
Often, the scammers tried to play with victims’ minds by asking them to take immediate action, BeenVerified warned. If a message asks you to do something urgent, it’s probably a scam.
Four of the top 12 reported numbers mimicked communications from banks or credit card companies, including Wells Fargo and Chase.
Some messages warned victims that their bank account was temporarily blocked and to contact them immediately, while others claimed that a target’s debit card had been blocked due to “a potential risk associated with your account.”
While the number of scams skyrocketed during the Covid-19 pandemic, these drawbacks are still prevalent, according to the study, with three of the top 12 scams masquerading as major delivery companies such as DHL or FedEx.
Meanwhile, two of the “Dirty Dozen” numbers tried to lure Americans into saying they’d won a contest, a prize, or even free money.
“Consumers should remain vigilant when it comes to calls or text messages,” Robert Lowry, vice president of security at BeenVerified told DailyMail.com.
Be skeptical of anyone demanding immediate payment or sensitive personal information. Never give bank details or personal information to anyone through a call or message.
“If in doubt, hang up and independently find official contact information and get in touch to verify.”
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers lost more than $326 million from scam texts alone in 2022
BeenVerified analyzed more than 150,000 phone numbers reported by reverse phone tool users over the past two years to reveal the top area codes scammers use by state
It’s because fraudsters are using increasingly extreme tactics to trick unsuspecting victims into handing over personal information, including bank details, credit card details, or even a social security number.
Earlier this year, an Arizona mother received a call from an unknown number with what sounded like her daughter screaming in the background, and a “kidnapper” demanding a $1 million ransom.
In reality, her daughter was safe on a skiing trip and her voice had been cloned by AI technology.
A Pennsylvania woman also issued a stark warning after being tricked into sending $500 to a bogus caller who claimed he kidnapped her sister.
Beth Royce said she was awakened by a call that appeared to be from her sister, but was an impostor.
She described her “terrifying” experience on social media in an effort to prevent the same from happening to others.