Five Area Codes You Should Never Answer

Why Do Phone Scammers Use These Numbers?

You’ll notice that most of these countries are based in the Caribbean. This means they all have the country code +1—the same as the United States. This makes it look like they are U.S.-based and therefore appear more trustworthy.

What Scams Are These Phone Numbers Used For?

There are many different scams coming from these phone numbers. Some are associated with certain area codes.

Here are some of the more common phone scams to be aware of:

🚨 The one ring scam

This is where the scammer uses a robocaller to phone your number and hang up before you can answer.

The aim of the scam is to get you to call the phone number back, at which point you’ll be automatically connected to a premium-rate phone number. You could be immediately charged as much as $50 and you probably won’t realize until your bill arrives.

Because they use robocallers, scammers are able to make thousands of these kinds of calls in just a few minutes. Chances are at least some of these people will call back.

Sometimes you’ll hear a warning of the higher charge rate when you call one of these numbers.

But more often, you won’t. The best indication of a genuine call is if the caller has left a message. If they haven’t, it’s probably a mistake or a scam. You can also search for the number online. If it’s a scam, there will likely be plenty of people posting warnings.

🚨 Ring and run

In this phone scam, the victim receives a call where the scammer claims there is an emergency regarding a friend or a relative of yours. They usually claim to work for an organization trying to help that person.

They may ask you to pay money to help that person. Or they may ask you to call them back. Similar to the one-ring scam, the number they call back is a high-cost line that is charged per minute.

This scam is particularly effective because it preys on our natural instinct to help family members in distress. Scammers often research their targets on social media beforehand to make their stories more convincing—they might mention specific family members’ names or recent events to make the emergency seem real.

Warning signs to watch for:

• The caller refuses to let you speak directly to the “victim”
• They demand payment through untraceable methods like gift cards or wire transfers
• They create extreme time pressure (“You only have 30 minutes to send the money”)
• The voice sounds different, and they claim it’s due to injury or poor connection

🚨 General unsolicited calls

There are two main types of unsolicited calls:

1. Someone falsely claiming to be from an organization and offering assistance that you didn’t ask for.
2. Someone trying to get your bank details by pretending to sell you something—usually something that is too good to be true.

A good example of the former is calls from people posing as IT support agents and claiming that your computer has a virus. They will often trick people into giving them money to fix the fabricated problem.

Other common unsolicited scam calls include:

• Fake health insurance offers with “limited time” enrollment periods.
• Extended car warranty calls for vehicles you may not even own.
• Credit card companies offering to lower your interest rates.
• Government imposters claiming you owe taxes or have unclaimed benefits.

Remember legitimate companies typically don’t make unsolicited calls offering services you didn’t request. If someone calls claiming to represent a company you do business with, hang up and call the official customer service number to verify.

What Action Should I Take?

Here are some tips to keep yourself safe from scam callers:

Don’t answer or call back

Don’t answer phone calls from any of the numbers listed above unless you’re expecting them. Don’t call them back either. You may also wish not to respond to any unknown callers. If it’s urgent, they will leave a message or find another way to contact you.

Block the number

Most phones have a function for blocking nuisance numbers. Use yours immediately so you aren’t caught off guard.

For iPhone users:

1. Tap the i icon next to the suspicious number in your recent calls.
2. Scroll down and tap Block Contact.

For Android users:

1. Open your Phone app and find the number in recent calls.
2. Press and hold the number and tap Block or report.

Advanced blocking options: Most smartphones also allow you to automatically block calls from unknown numbers entirely. While this might seem extreme, it’s highly effective—legitimate callers will leave voicemails or find other ways to reach you if it’s truly important.

Report it to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

The FCC regulates interstate and international communications across the U.S. and its territories. Reporting scam calls to the FCC helps them to understand what threats people face so that they can help combat them. You can also find helpful advice on how to protect yourself from scam callers on the organization’s website.

Register your number on the Federal Trade Commission’s National Do Not Call Registry

The Do Not Call Registry is a self opt-in list of numbers that don’t want to receive unsolicited sales calls. It is considered good practice for companies to avoid contacting these numbers.

By signing up, you know that any company that contacts you is most likely a scam, as any trustworthy organization would adhere to the Do Not Call Registry.

Use apps that block robocalls and spam calls

If you are receiving spam on your cell phone, there are several apps you can use that allow you to block robocalls and spam emails.

Popular call-blocking apps include:

• Truecaller – Identifies incoming calls and has a large database of known scam numbers
• Hiya – Blocks spam calls and shows caller ID for unknown numbers
• RoboKiller – Uses AI to answer spam calls with pre-recorded messages, wasting scammers’ time

Built-in carrier options: Many cell phone providers also offer their own call-blocking services:

• Verizon Call Filter
• AT&T Call Protect
• T-Mobile Scam Shield

These apps work by maintaining databases of known scam numbers and automatically blocking or flagging suspicious calls before they reach you. Some even play recorded messages to waste scammers’ time, helping protect other potential victims.

Conclusion: Awareness Is Key

Scam calls are a real threat to anyone that uses a phone. The best way to avoid falling victim to them is to be aware of which numbers may be scams and to avoid answering them altogether.

It’s also good to understand the different types of phone scams, so you know if someone is trying to con you.

But scam calls aren’t the only way fraudsters put your security at risk. Today, cell phone users face several threats.

Certo’s range of award-winning apps gives you complete peace of mind from cyber threats.

The benefits include:

• Scan for security vulnerabilities that put your data at risk.
• Analyze your operating system for signs of tampering that could compromise security, such as jailbreaking.
• Fast and easy to use.
• No signup required.

Download the award-winning Certo Mobile Security (iOS) and Certo AntiSpy (Android) for FREE.