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Area codes to watch out for: the ones that aren't in the US
Some numbers that look like ordinary US numbers (same 1, same ten digits) actually ring in the Caribbean or Bermuda. Calling them back can be billed as an international call, and that's exactly what the one-ring scam counts on.
Why these numbers look domestic
The US shares its phone numbering system, the North American Numbering Plan, with Canada and a group of Caribbean countries and territories. Every member uses country code +1 and a three-digit area code, so a call from Jamaica looks just like a call from Ohio: (876) 555-0123 versus (614) 555-0123. There's no "011" or "+" to tip you off.
The difference shows up on your bill. Most US phone plans treat calls to these countries as international, and the rates can be far higher than a domestic call. Some numbers are set up so the person who owns them gets a cut of the charges.
The full list: NANP area codes outside the US and Canada
- 242: Bahamas
- 246: Barbados
- 264: Anguilla
- 268: Antigua and Barbuda
- 284: British Virgin Islands
- 345: Cayman Islands
- 441: Bermuda
- 473: Grenada
- 649: Turks and Caicos Islands
- 658 and 876: Jamaica
- 664: Montserrat
- 721: Sint Maarten
- 758: Saint Lucia
- 767: Dominica
- 784: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- 809, 829 and 849: Dominican Republic
- 868: Trinidad and Tobago
- 869: Saint Kitts and Nevis
The codes that come up most in one-ring scam warnings from the FTC are 268, 284, 473, 649, 664, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876. But any code on this list can be billed internationally, so treat them all the same way.
These look foreign but are US territories
Calls to these are domestic US calls and are normally billed like any other US number:
- 340: US Virgin Islands
- 787 and 939: Puerto Rico
- 671: Guam
- 670: Northern Mariana Islands
- 684: American Samoa
Canadian area codes are also part of the plan. Whether calls to Canada cost extra depends on your plan; many US plans include them.
Does this mean every call from these codes is a scam?
No. Millions of people live in these places, and if you have family in the Dominican Republic or a hotel booking in Jamaica, calls from 809 or 876 are normal. The warning signs are:
- you don't know anyone there and weren't expecting a call;
- it rang once or twice and hung up;
- it came at an odd hour, or several times in a row;
- there's no voicemail, or the voicemail is vague and urgent ("call back about your package," "a family emergency," "you've won").
The scams that use these codes
- One-ring callbacks: a missed call designed to make you curious enough to call back and run up charges. See the one-ring scam.
- Lottery and prize calls: "You've won a car, just pay the fees." Jamaican 876 numbers have long been associated with these. See prize scam reports.
- Fake emergencies: a caller claiming a relative has been arrested or hurt abroad. See the grandparent scam.
How to protect yourself
- Check the area code before calling back any number you don't recognize. Look it up on ShadyCall first: every page shows the country, the original carrier, reports and complaints. Try 809, 876 or 473, or browse all area codes.
- Let unknown numbers go to voicemail, or screen them. See how to block numbers.
- Block repeat callers. iPhone and Android don't let you block a whole area code by default, but some carrier upgrades (such as Verizon's paid Call Filter Plus) and call-blocking apps can.
- Ask your carrier about blocking international calls from your line if you never make them. This also protects you if a family member calls back by mistake.
- Check your bill for international charges you don't recognize.
I already called one back
Hang up as soon as you realize. Check your next bill or your account online for international or premium charges, and call your carrier to dispute anything you didn't knowingly agree to. If they won't fix it, file a complaint with the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints.