If You Live In North Dakota or Montana, Don’t Answer Calls From These 5 Area Codes

Imagine you're at work trying to get through your projects and your cell phone rings. You tear your desk apart to find it, and as soon as you get it, you see a number you don't recognize. Now you ask the question, should I or shouldn't I answer it? You do, and it's a telemarketer or a potential scammer!

Even with today's technology, Enterprise Apps Today estimates the average person receives 17 spam calls a day!

Robocall Statistics in 2023 According To Enterprise Apps Today:

• In the U.S. as of August 2023, Americans have received 5.46 billion robocalls and each person receives almost 17 spam calls each day.
• Whereas, per month record of robocalls in 2023 in the United States are followed by January (6.47 billion), February (5.32 billion), March (5.51 billion), April (4.79 billion), May (5.93 billion), June (5.26 billion), July (4.63 billion).
• Across the world, in August robocalls per week (1,233.60 million) weekdays (1,048.56 million), weekends (185.04 million), each day (176.22 million), per minute (1.2 million), and per second (2,040).
• As of 2023, worldwide robocall contribution is highest in the U.S. is 25%, followed by the Russian Federation (19.84%), Germany (7.36%), The Netherlands (4.53%), and France (4%).
• Between January to October 2023, across the world, Truecaller reported more than 17.7 billion.
• As of 2023, fraudulent robocalls have reduced mobile subscribers with a loss of $58 billion in North America, and by the end of 2027, it is going to be a $70 billion loss.

The Social Catfish website has identified the five area codes scammers use to scam you.

Here are the top five area codes you should consider suspicious.

268 Area Code

This area code is associated with Antigua and Barbuda but is also known to be used by scammers in various types of fraud.

876 Area Code

This area code is associated with Jamaica but is also known to be used by scammers in various types of fraud, such as lottery scams, work-at-home scams, and more.

473 Area Code

This area code is associated with Grenada and Carriacou but is also known to be used by scammers in various types of fraud.

649 Area Code

This area code is associated with the Turks and Caicos Islands but is also known to be used by scammers for various types of fraud.

284 Area Code

This area code is associated with the British Virgin Islands but is also known to be used by scammers for various types of fraud.

Social Catfish also has some tips if you do get a call from any of the area codes listed above.

• The first thing you should do if you receive a call from an area code that seems strange or like it might be a scam is to ignore it. In an attempt to learn more about you, scammers may attempt to keep you on the phone for as long as they can since they are frequently hoping for a reaction. Just hang up instead.
• It's also crucial to refrain from providing the caller with any financial or personal information. Name, address, phone number, email, social security number, credit card details, and any other private information are all included in this. Scammers may utilize this information to steal your identity or carry out fraudulent transactions.
• It's crucial to take down the caller's number and area code, as well as to quickly search the internet to see if the number has ever been linked to a scam. Websites belonging to numerous organizations and government bodies offer details about known scam numbers. Additionally, you should report the call to both your phone carrier and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if you discover that the number is linked to a hoax.
• You can take further precautions to guard against scam calls in addition to being wary of answering calls from unknown numbers. The FTC maintains the National Do Not Call Registry, to which you can add your number. The purpose of this registry is to lessen unsolicited telemarketing calls. You can also see if your phone carrier offers this service by contacting them or by installing call-blocking software on your phone. Scammers' unsolicited calls can be prevented with the aid of these technologies.

Get our free mobile app