If you get a call from a number starting with these three digits it could be a scam

If you receive a call from an unsaved number and are worried it's a scam, the clue could be in the first three digits.

Cybersecurity experts have warned that hackers are disproportionately using area codes from four US states.

The most popular area codes for scammers in 2024 were 720 (Colorado), 272 (Pennsylvania), 959 (Connecticut) and 346 (Texas).

The report noted that scammers use 'number spoofing' to alter the caller ID information to display a number with a familiar or trusted area code, which suggested those four states are also bombarded with fraudulent communications.

'Many scammers prefer using area codes from densely populated states to project authenticity and trust, ' ReversePhone, a phone lookup company, said in the report.

The company also identified three most common numbers appearing repeatedly in alleged scams: (763) 274-3899, (217) 402-1312 and (202) 456-1111.

'Scam numbers are often associated with a high volume of calls, especially around peak times such as holidays or tax season, when related scams like 'free money' or 'urgent bank notifications' are more common,' ReversePhone stated.

Security experts advise that people to silence calls from unknown numbers, block and report calls that show 'Likely a Scam' as the caller. 

The report looked at data collected from customer call complaint logs stored  on reverse phone lookup tools, identifying  numbers frequently used by scammers who often employ a technique called 'number spoofing' or 'caller ID spoofing.'

'This deception increases the likelihood of recipients answering the call, as people are more inclined to trust and engage with local or recognizable numbers, which is why it is best not to answer an unknown number,' Reverse Phone shared. 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warns that 'you may not be able to tell right away if an incoming call is spoofed' and users should 'be extremely careful about responding to any request for personal identifying information.' 

The most common complaint was banking scams, with more than 1,370 reported from the top area codes, which involved granting the criminal remote access or  transferring money to another account.

One user reported that she received a call from a person claiming to be from Capital One bank to verify her business credit card information.

'Once I provided all the details, they proceeded to take over my phone for security verification codes from banks,' she said, adding:  'They then logged into my bank and did a wire transfer of $20,000 from one of the accounts.'

Some potential victims have reported being asked to enter codes like *72 or **21 on their phones, which would give thieves instant access to their information.

One victim said a scammer claimed they were from her credit card company and told her that there was an attempted fraudulent charge on the card. 

The person allegedly said it was on her Discover and Amex cards and they needed the expiration date - the only problem was she didn't have either of those cards.

'She said she would send me over to her manager and then hung up the phone. Obviously they are trying to get your card information,' the would-be victim told Reverse Phone, who conducted the report.

Debt collection and credit card scams were also among the top three reported issues, according to the report which said there were 1,148 and 942 cases respectively that were reported this year.

Residents with north-central Colorado (720), northeastern Pennsylvania (272), Hartford, Connecticut (959) and Houston, Texas (346) area codes were the most targeted.

These area codes received more than 200 fraudulent texts and phone calls each in 2024, the report revealed. 

Scammers also tend to target phone numbers that are part of pre-paid plans or are associated with carriers that offer quick activation processes because there is less information they need to provide.

Certain carriers offer more advanced features that scammers can exploit, including call forwarding and the spoofing technique.

AT&T was the only major carrier that was specifically listed as the top targeted this year, coming in at the number two spot.

The telecommunication companies Onvoy and Lumen - which is the third-largest wireline phone provider in the US - also were reported as the first and third top targeted.

Coming in at number four was Twilio, which supports several major phone carriers including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile followed by TextNow which uses the T-Mobile network.

The FCC advises that if you answer a call, never give out personal information like account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother's maiden names, passwords or other identifying information.

You should also be especially cautious if you're being pressured to provide the information immediately.