Area code 657 scams are a new way scammers are trying to get you to reveal your financial information. The 657 area code scam works by a company purchasing a real working phone number from a telephone company. When the customer calls, the call gets sent through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), which is a network of switching centers and long distance lines connecting all customers, to a call center so it appears to customers as though they called their local phone number. The scam works because when you don’t recognize an area code, it makes it difficult to know if the call is real or not.
Although the area code is real, it is used by scammers to trick people into believing they are calling a legitimate business. If you receive an area code call that you believe could be part of this scam, do not give out any personal information and hang up immediately. The best way to protect yourself from these scams is not answer calls or text messages from numbers you do not recognize.
If you believe you have been a victim of an area code scam, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can also contact your phone carrier and ask them to add that number to its blacklist which will prohibit it from calling any customers on their network in the future.
What is Area Code 657 Scams?
Area code 657 scams are a type of phone scam that appears as a missed call from an area code you don’t recognize. Area code scams will often appear as a lottery scam, social media scam or other types of financial related scams. The number can be anywhere in the world but most scammers use area code scams to try and trick you into thinking they are calling from your local area.
How Area Code 657 Scams Work?
Area code 657 scams work by a company purchasing a real working phone number from a telephone company, this is called the First Generation or “FGT” scam. When the customer calls, it gets sent through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), which is a network of switching centers and long distance lines connecting all customers, to a call center so it appears to customers as though they called their local phone number.
How To Protect Yourself From Area Code 657 Scams?
Although the area code may be real, chances are scammers are using this number to trick you into thinking they are calling from your local area. If you do not recognize an area code or feel like the call is part of this scam, do not answer it and hang up immediately. The best way to protect yourself from these scams is by protecting all personal information in general; meaning don’t give out any financial information and never reply to texts or phone calls from numbers you do not recognize.