Overview

Five Area Codes you Should Never Answer

We advice you to avoid these area code phone scams:

Robocalls are bad, but international and spoofed area-code scams are worse.
Returning one missed call can drain your wallet with premium fees or expose private data.
Learn which numbers to ignore, how the tricks work, and what tools keep your line safe.

High-Risk International Area Codes

232 Area Code Scams – Sierra Leone
268 Area Code Scams – Antigua and Barbuda
284 Area Code Scams – British Virgin Islands
473 Area Code Scams – Grenada, Carriacou, Petite Martinique
664 Area Code Scams – Montserrat
649 Area Code Scams – Turks and Caicos Islands
767 Area Code Scams – Dominica
809, 829, 849 Area Code Scams – Dominican Republic
876 Area Code Scams – Jamaica

One-ring calls from these codes bait you into dialing back; every extra minute racks up international charges.

Five area codes you should never answer.

Five Caribbean Area Codes You Should Let Go to Voicemail:

876 Area Code

The 876 prefix belongs to Jamaica, and for years it has been the caller-ID of choice for lottery-winner hoaxes that claim you have hit the jackpot but must “pre-pay taxes” before prize delivery—money, of course, that disappears the moment it is wired overseas.

473 Area Code

Assigned to Grenada and nearby Carriacou, 473 is notorious for the one-ring scam: robodialers let your phone chirp once, bank on your curiosity, and then profit when you return the call and rack up premium Caribbean toll charges.

268 Area Code

Covering Antigua and Barbuda, 268 shows up on countless missed-call lists because fraudsters know its digits resemble U.S. codes, and a single returned call can cost dollars per minute while the line sits mute or plays a fake hold message.

284 Area Code

The British Virgin Islands use 284, and criminals there combine pricey callback lines with phishing chats about “investment opportunities,” luring victims to share banking credentials after a brief, expensive connection time.

649 Area Code

The Turks and Caicos Islands answer to 649, and numbers from this block appear in vishing waves—voice phishing in which callers pose as technical-support staff or government agents to harvest Social-Security details and credit-card data.

All five codes sit just outside the continental United States yet still fall under the +1 country code, so they masquerade as domestic; unless you know someone in the islands or plan a vacation there, save the contacts you trust and decline the rest.

Other Area Codes to Be Vary Off:

767 – Commonwealth of Dominica
809 – British Virgin Islands
829 – Dominican Republic
849 – Dominican Republic

‘Traffic pumping’ area codes to avoid: (These are automated call operations, like chat lines, calls with adult entertainment, or “free” conference calls).

347 area code scams: New York City
469 area code scams: Dallas, Texas
216 area code scams: Cleveland, Ohio
646 area code scams: Manhattan
332 area code scams: New York City
657 area code scams: La Palma, California

712 area code scams: western Iowa
218 area code scams: northern Minnesota

Common Scam Styles Tied to These Codes

Unsolicited Sales Pitches

Cold callers offer miracle products, debt relief, or lottery entries, pushing you to share card numbers or buy gift cards as payment.

Ring-and-Run Emergencies

A stranger insists a loved one is injured or jailed and needs fast money; newer versions use AI voice clones to sound convincing—verify through another channel before acting.

Classic One-Ring Robocalls

Phones buzz once, then silence; dialing back drops you into a high-tariff line that can tack $50 or more onto your next bill before you realize no one is speaking.

One-Ring Scam Explained:
Your phone rings once, then stops.
Curiosity makes you call back; the line redirects overseas and bills you per minute.
Never return single-ring unknown calls—especially from three-digit codes that look American but are not.

Work-at-Home Offers

Ads promise big salaries for easy home work, but sign-up “kits” require an up-front fee and sensitive personal information ripe for identity theft; legitimate employers never charge applicants.

These Domestic US Area Codes are Favored by Spoofers:

Scammers often spoof a U.S. area code to look local.
Common targets include 216 (Cleveland), 469 (Dallas), 657 (La Palma), 347 / 646 / 332 (New York City), 218 (northern Minnesota), and 712 (western Iowa).

If you do not recognize the number, let it ring and check voicemail later.

Examples – International vs. U.S. Phone Numbers

Every North American number starts with +1, yet some belong to foreign countries and territories.
Area codes such as 268 or 876 are international (Caribbean) even though they look like standard U.S. codes, while 347 or 657 are domestic U.S. codes.

International NANP Area Codes

These codes route to countries and territories outside the fifty states.

268 – Antigua and Barbuda
284 – British Virgin Islands
473 – Grenada and Carriacou
649 – Turks and Caicos Islands
876 – Jamaica

Examples of International Numbers (within NANP)

+1 268 555 0148 – rings Antigua
+1 876 440 2211 – rings Jamaica

Domestic U.S. Area Codes

These codes reach callers inside the United States.

347 – New York City, NY
657 – La Palma, CA
469 – Dallas, TX
216 – Cleveland, OH

Examples of Domestic U.S. Numbers

+1 347 555 7834 – rings New York City
+1 657 555 9012 – rings Orange County, CA

All codes above begin with +1, showing how non-NANP numbers change the country code entirely.
International NANP codes bill as foreign calls, so returning a missed call can cost extra even though they share +1.
Domestic codes charge normal U.S. long-distance or mobile minutes depending on your plan

Traffic-Pumping Rings

Rural carriers in sparsely populated zones like 712 and 218 inflate call volume with chat or adult lines.
They charge long-distance providers high access fees, which trickle down to consumers.
Avoid calling back any unfamiliar number from those regions.

Package-Delivery & “Urgent Account” Texts

Links or voicemail numbers claim a missed package or bank emergency.
The goal is to steal credentials or install malware on your device.
Verify shipments through the official retailer site, not the message link.

How do I stop Robocalls and Scam Calls?

You can follow these steps to stop scam calls and robocalls:

Add your number to the FTC National Do Not Call Registry.
Ask your carrier about free or paid robocall-blocking services.
Use reputable apps such as Hiya, YouMail, or RoboKiller for real-time screening.
If you never dial overseas, request an international block on outgoing calls.
Report scam attempts to the FCC and FTC; provide the full number and time of call.

How to Avoid Area-Code Phone Scams

Register on the FTC’s Do Not Call List

Add your number to the Federal Trade Commission’s National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov.
Legitimate telemarketers scrub this list, so any sales call you still receive is almost certainly a scam.

Skip Unknown Calls and Callbacks

If the area code looks suspicious—especially one of the Caribbean codes listed above, let the call go to voicemail.
Calling back can trigger international per-minute fees or confirm that your number is active.

Block Suspicious Numbers

After a missed scam attempt, open the Phone app, tap the number, and choose “Block this Caller.”
Be careful not to tap the call button while blocking.

Use a Spam-Blocking App

Apps such as Hiya, RoboKiller, and YouMail maintain live scam databases and auto-reject high-risk calls.
Compare features and privacy policies before installing.

Report Offenders to the FCC

File a complaint at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov.
Federal Communications Commission investigations can lead to fines, number shutdowns, and improved call-blocking rules for everyone.

FAQ – Area Codes you Should Never Answer.

Please have a look at these frequently asked questions and answers:

What are the five area codes you should never answer?

The five most abused area codes scams are 268, 473, 649, 876, and 232; never answer calls from these area codes because they almost always trigger costly or fraudulent callbacks.

Why am I getting calls from 347 area code?

Many calls from 347 area code are spoofed to appear local to New York City; area code 347 scams often involve fake delivery fees or IRS threats.

Are more people reporting area code 657 scams?

Yes, area code 657 scams and area code 657 spam texts surge every tax season, usually posing as debt collectors or tech-support agents.

What is the risk of 561 spam calls?

Area code 561 spam calls target Florida residents with timeshare resale and Medicare cons; rely on call-blocking tools if you live near Palm Beach.

Is the 829 area code always dangerous?

The 829 area code belongs to the Dominican Republic; if you have no contacts there, ignore it because fees and fraud are common.

Why did I get a 657 area code text message?

A 657 area code text message often contains a phishing link; delete it and never tap the URL unless you can confirm the sender.

Are there scams linked to 424 or 646?

Reports of area code 424 scams (Los Angeles) and area code 646 scams (Manhattan) include Social-Security suspensions and crypto giveaways; treat any urgent demand as suspicious.

Should I worry about 279 or 223 numbers?

Area code 279 scams and area code 223 spam usually push fake utility bills; verify with the provider through the number on your statement, not the caller ID.

What are the five area codes you should never answer on Android?

Android call-screen features flag many risky numbers automatically, but you should still add the five area codes you should never answer on Android to your personal block list. Thes most common scam area codes on Android phone are:

268 – Antigua and Barbuda

284 – British Virgin Islands

473 – Grenada and Carriacou

649 – Turks and Caicos Islands

876 – Jamaica