"Your package delivery is delayed."
"Your bank account has been frozen."
"Congrats! You won the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes!"
These three scenarios are all among the top scam or spam messages linked to the most suspicious phone numbers.
According to the group BeenVerified, a large number of spam calls can be traced back to 12 different numbers nicknamed the "Dirty Dozen."
After analyzing more than 157,000 suspicious phone calls in a two-year span, BeenVerified recommends blocking these phone numbers.
Here is the list of the Dirty Dozen and the scams they're associated with:
1. (865) 630-4266 - Victims report they received a text warning their Wells Fargo accounts were temporarily locked and they should call Wells Fargo.
2. (469) 709-7630 - Victims reported either they or a loved one's name was mentioned for a failed delivery attempt.
3. (805) 637-7243 - According to reports, victims reported receiving calls from this number with scammers claiming they'd won the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes or from Visa's fraud department.
4. (858) 605-9622 - Users reported receiving messages from this number warning their bank accounts were temporarily on hold.
5. (863) 532-7969 - Victims reported receiving messages stating their debit card was frozen. The message typically did not mention a bank.
6. (904) 495-2559 - This number was reported victims were AT&T raffle winners and must contact to claim their prize.
7. (312) 339-1227 - Victims reported scammers used this number to either push weight loss or tracking a package scams.
8. (917) 540-7996 - This is an outlier in the Dirty Dozen. People reported the number stating it sounded like a spam call, but it was really a marketing stunt for the latest "Scream" movie.
9. (347) 437-1689 - According to reports, this number was used by scammers for both a small dollar tax scam and to push a free Dyson vacuum scam.
10. (301) 307-4601 - This number was reported by victims for pushing a USPS delivery scam message.
11. (878) 877-1402 - Victims reported this number for sending messages similar to the 'frozen debit card' scam but with more personalization.
12. (202) 221-7923 - According to reports, victims reported this number for phishing using student loan forgiveness scams.
According to the report, bank and credit card scams are among the most common with four of the top 12 numbers reportedly impersonating banks or credit card companies. Three of the top 12 numbers are related to alleged delivery scams, while two of the top numbers are tied to scams claiming people won a prize or cash.
In Arizona, the 480 area code is the one most commonly spoofed by scammers, so be on the lookout.
Just like consumers, it appears scammers have preferred phone companies as well.
BeenVerified also analyzed carriers associated with the most commonly used phone numbers associated with scams. The list includes names consumers will likely recognize - AT&T, Google Voice, T-Mobile, and Verizon - but scammers appear to favor Onvoy and TextNow.
Protect yourself from phone and text scams:
- If you don't recognize a phone number, don't answer the call! Let it go to voicemail.
- Check suspicious phone numbers. Use a reverse phone tool to help you determine if a number is suspect.
- Think before you react. If you click on a link or answer a call, disengage and hang up if you feel uncomfortable.
- Talk to companies directly. If you receive a message that claims to be from a company, reach out to that company directly using the contact provided on their website. Do not use links or numbers included in the message.
To learn more, read the full analysis from BeenVerified online.
Loading...
