Scam & spam area codes: which codes get reported most

Is there such a thing as a scam area code? Mostly no — 74% of robocalls fake a local area code. See the area codes with the most FTC complaints, by-state data, and what to do instead of blocking.

Looking for a list of "scam area codes" to block? Almost none exist — in 2025 roughly 74% of robocalls faked a local area code to look like a neighbor, so scammers use whatever code helps, including yours. Blocking a whole area code mostly blocks real calls. What the data can show is which codes draw the most FTC complaints, and why.Updated September 13, 2026

What this data is — and isn't. These figures count consumer complaints in the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Do Not Call database. They are unverified reports, not proof of wrongdoing. Crucially, most scam calls spoof a real number or a local area code, so a high complaint count usually means a number or area code is being imitated — the real owner is often a victim too. areacode.fyi is not a consumer reporting agency and this information is not for any FCRA purpose (employment, credit, tenant, or insurance screening). Report unwanted calls at DoNotCall.gov.

The most-reported "area codes" are toll-free prefixes

The codes with the most FTC complaints aren't geographic at all — they're toll-free prefixes, which account for about 50% of all complaints in this data. Debt-relief and imposter robocallers dial from them in bulk.

#	Prefix	FTC complaints	Numbers
1	866	31,743	3,059
2	833	30,221	3,588
3	855	27,833	3,485
4	877	25,589	2,851
5	888	22,162	2,692
6	844	18,843	3,093
7	800	7,583	748

Most-reported geographic area codes

Among true geographic area codes, these draw the most complaints. Remember: thanks to spoofing, this reflects which codes get imitated most, not where scammers actually are. Each links to its area-code scam page.

#	Area code	Region	FTC complaints
1	434	Charlottesville, Virginia	7,047
2	315	Syracuse, New York	6,108
3	217	Champaign-Urbana, Illinois	5,542
4	321	Cocoa, Florida	4,756
5	202	Washington, District of Columbia	3,609
6	540	Roanoke, Virginia	3,303
7	502	Louisville, Kentucky	2,723
8	309	Peoria, Illinois	2,383
9	407	Orlando, Florida	2,203
10	369	Santa Rosa, California	2,117
11	771	Washington, District of Columbia	1,948
12	470	Atlanta, Georgia	1,604
13	440	Hillcrest, Ohio	1,218
14	224	Arlington Heights, Illinois	1,180
15	719	Colorado Springs-Main, Colorado	1,038
16	949	Irvine, California	1,031
17	213	Los Angeles, California	1,024
18	614	Columbus, Ohio	1,013
19	585	Rochester, New York	1,003
20	201	Hackensack, New Jersey	985

Which states get the most complaints

Per the FTC's FY2025 Data Book, these states logged the most Do Not Call complaints per 100,000 people:

#	State	Complaints per 100k
1	Arizona	1,028
2	Tennessee	1,017
3	Nevada	960
4	Illinois	943
5	Florida	933

For the full, monthly-updated ranking of every state by complaints per 100,000 residents — plus the most-reported geographic area codes and embeddable cards — see spam calls by area code.

The bigger picture: U.S. robocalls by the numbers

52.5Brobocalls in 2025

2.6MFTC Do Not Call complaints

$3.5Blost to imposter scams

74%faked a local area code

Robocalls ran about 4.7 billion a month in 2025 (YouMail Robocall Index), and 258.5 million numbers sit on the Do Not Call registry. The most-reported FTC topics were reducing debt, imposters, and medical & prescriptions; government-impersonation scams (fake toll and DMV texts) drove much of the record imposter losses, and local-number spoofing is up roughly 50% year over year (Nomorobo).

Should you block an area code? No — do this instead

Don't blocklist area codes. You'll miss real calls and still get spoofed ones. Screen unknown numbers instead.
Check a specific number on our who-called-me lookup, or see the most-reported phone numbers.
Turn on carrier spam filtering and register at DoNotCall.gov.

Sources & method

Rankings are computed from the FTC's public Do Not Call complaint data (numbers reported three or more times), aggregated by phone number and area code and refreshed monthly. National figures are cited below. Last updated September 13, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there such a thing as a scam area code?

Not really. In 2025, about 74% of robocalls faked a local area code to look like a neighbor, so scammers use whatever code seems trustworthy — including your own. A high complaint count usually means a code is being imitated, not that its real owner is a scammer.

Which area codes get the most scam complaints?

The codes with the most FTC Do Not Call complaints are toll-free prefixes such as 833, 866 and 855, which account for about 50% of the complaints in this data. Among true geographic area codes, the most-reported ones are listed in the table above.

Should you block an entire area code?

No. Blocking a whole area code mostly blocks real calls while still letting spoofed ones through. Screen unknown numbers instead, turn on your carrier's spam filtering, and register at DoNotCall.gov.

Which states get the most Do Not Call complaints?

Per the FTC's FY2025 Data Book, Arizona, Tennessee, Nevada, Illinois and Florida logged the most Do Not Call complaints per 100,000 people.

Sourced from the official NANPA (North American Numbering Plan Administrator) numbering database, current as of September 13, 2026. Refreshed monthly.