What are Nassau County Area Codes?
Area codes are composed of three digits at the beginning of telephone numbers. Used to identify particular Numbering Plan Areas (NPAs), they are created under the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). The New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) implements and manages the area code for Nassau County.
A single area code currently serves Nassau County and it covers all of its communities.
Area code 516
Area code 516 is the New York telephone area code that covers the Nassau County end of Long Island. It serves the two cities of Long Beach and Glen Cove along with the towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Nassau County?
Data from a 2018 National Centre for Health Statistics research indicate that Nassau County residents are shifting from landlines to wireless cellular phone services. The report indicates that in the State of New York, 38.8% of the adult population (above 18 years) used cell phones only for communication. On the other hand, adults who used only landlines made up 6.0% of the population. Comparably, 45.9% of children (below 18 years) were cell phones-only users while 2.9% of them were landline-only users. These figures show that dependence on wireless telephony services is fast becoming the norm.
All the four major carriers provide phone services in Nassau County. AT&T has 95.3% coverage in the county while Verizon and T-Mobile offer 87.2% and 84.2% coverage respectively. Sprint lags well behind them with about 50.9% coverage.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services have also gained widespread adoption among county locals. Used to facilitate voice calls over the internet, VoIP grants subscribers all the features of traditional phones but at a fraction of the costs. The presence of county-owned broadband infrastructure is also another driver that contributes to residents’ increased VoIP services patronage. Furthermore, with the introduction of the FCC E911 rules, subscriptions for VoIP services are guaranteed to rise among residents.
What are Nassau County Phone Scams?
These are fraudulent acts committed via telephone services and aimed at residents of the county. Reverse phone lookup services can be used to retrieve information about scammers’ real identities. The Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs alerts residents about scams and obtains restitution for affected victims. Scammed residents can file complaints with the Nassau County Consumer Affairs or the FTC.
Some scams common in Nassau County are:
What are IRS Scams?
These are most common during the tax season. Consumers are generally more vulnerable at this time because they are accustomed to getting a variety of legitimate tax-related information and updates. Scammers call taxpayers pretending to be IRS officials. It is possible to identify such scam calls by determining that the caller is not from the IRS. “Who is this number registered to?” can be answered by a good reverse phone lookup service.
Scammers call and request for residents’ personal information like social security numbers claiming to rectify fictitious tax filing errors. Alternatively, they may employ threats to pressure their targets into making payments for tax debts. They require payments to be made by unconventional means like gift cards and wire transfers. Residents are cautioned that the IRS never informs taxpayers of their unpaid taxes over unsolicited phone calls without having sent several mail correspondences.
What are PSEG Utility Scams?
Posing as staff of the electricity utility company (PSEG) in Nassau County, scammers place calls to consumers to inform them of unpaid bills. Threatening disconnection, they coerce consumers to make immediate payments using Green Dot preloaded cards. To avoid falling prey to this scam, a consumer can use a phone number search free service to identify if the call is from the utility company. Affected county residents can also call the PSEG Utility Company at 1 (800) 490-0025 to lodge complaints. Legitimate employees of the PSEG do not harass consumers for utility payments over the phone and consumers will receive several past-due notices by mail before being disconnected. Neither will they demand that non-traditional payment channels like Green Dot cards be used to clear outstanding utility bills.
What are Charity Scams?
Scammers use tragic events like natural disasters and major health crises to solicit donations from unsuspecting residents. They deceive their prospective donors by setting up false charities with familiar-sounding names. County locals can avoid this deception by engaging the services of free reverse phone lookup portals. Intending donors are also advised to verify the legitimacy of their selected charities before donating. The New York State Attorney General’s Charity Bureau regulates all charities that solicit donations within Nassau County. Residents can check the registration status of any charity via e-mail inquiries or by calling the Charities Bureau on (212) 416-8401. Persons who have been duped by fraudulent charities can file complaints online with the Bureau.
What are Lottery and Sweepstakes Scams?
Also known as prize scams, they are used by fraudsters to obtain consumers’ money or personal information for the purpose of effecting identity thefts. Using fake lotteries or sweepstakes, con artists trick consumers into believing that they have won prizes or huge cash rewards. The catch, however, is that recipients must first pay fees to collect their winnings. A variant of this scam requires targets to submit their financial information to claim fake prizes or partake in made-up contests. Scammers sometimes claim to represent authentic lottery or sweepstakes entities to further boost their credibility and sell these scams.
County residents are advised to confirm the authenticity of prizes won by confirming that lottery companies are duly registered. Persons who suspect that they are scam victims should report online to the Office of Consumer Affairs or notify the Sheriff’s Department on (516) 572-4100. A resident can also use a phone number search to query an unknown caller’s number to answer the question: “who called me?”.
What are Robocall Scams and Spam Calls?
Robocalls are automated telephone calls that convey pre-recorded information. Originally used by telemarketers and politicians for their campaigns, they are now employed by scammers for fraudulent purposes. Robocalls make it easy for scammers to change their Caller IDs and they can deploy multiple calls at the same time. Scams involving robocalls are used to deceive consumers into sharing their financial information with fraudsters. A reverse phone search can often be used to detect illegal robocalls.
Carry out the following actions if you receive illegal robocalls:
- End a robocall once you recognize it. Refrain from selecting any suggested options to remove your number from its call list or connect with a live agent. This is merely a trick to confirm your number and register it for more illegal calls.
- Find an online site that provides a reverse phone lookup free service to identify robocalls.
- Register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. Registered numbers are exempt from sales calls from telemarketing and business organizations. Further illegitimate calls can, however, be better identified since scammers will never adhere to this regulation.
- Seek call- and number-blocking tools from your cell phone carrier. It is more cost-effective to select free blocking options since scammers regularly manipulate caller ID information.
- Notify the FTC of unlawful calls either by dialing 1 (888) 382-1222 or complaining online.
The FTC also extends its protection duties to maintaining an online consumer resource on how to block unwanted calls.
How Can You Spot and Report Nassau County Phone Scams?
There is no single approach or method to successfully deal with phone scams and consumer frauds. However, consumer education and vigilance are identified as the best tools to tackle scammers’ numerous schemes. Querying fraudsters’ phone numbers by using reverse cell phone lookup services is another effective tool.
Indicators of a likely phone scam include:
- Fraudsters often attempt to distract their victims by dangling offers that are hard to resist. They use these offers as effective cover to hide their fraudulent motives.
- Scammers also lure their marks by offering tempting gifts like free holiday cruises, products, grants, and lottery winnings. However, they always ask their targets to make advance payments before they can receive these gifts.
- Scammers request payments through channels that make them hard to track and reverse. These include cryptocurrencies, wire transfers, and gift cards.
- Scammers regularly impersonate employees of reputable companies or government agencies. However, they make repeated demands for personal information and get aggressive when the information is not forthcoming. Legitimate companies and government agencies do not do these.
- The use of coercion and threats is another trademark of scams. Fraudsters often use these pressure techniques to badger their marks into giving up their sensitive information or making payments. Scammers have been known to use threats of imminent arrests, fines, incarceration, litigation, and even deportation to secure compliance from their victims.
Persons who know how to use reverse phone lookup tools are better equipped against scammers. It is also easier for residents to stay vigilant if they are well-informed about recent scam trends and schemes. Some government institutions also make notable efforts to protect residents from phone scams and consumer frauds. They include:
Federal Trade Commission - The FTC exists to defend the interests of American consumers. Using advocacy, education, and law enforcement tools, they work to discourage deceptive and unfair business acts. Consumers affected by these acts can report online to the FTC or call 1 (888) 382-1222. To halt illegal robocalls, consumers can register their phone numbers on the FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry. Telemarketers and businesses are barred from calling these numbers by the FTC. As a result, subsequent unwanted calls to them are likely to be phone scams. The FTC also offers call-blocking information to further secure consumers on its website.
Federal Communications Commission - The FCC protects consumers by combating illegal robocalls and fraudulent Caller ID spoofing. In addition to their major function of regulating communication within and outside the U.S., they also initiate and enforce consumer protection laws. Scammed county residents can file complaints with the Commission. They can also access FCC-sponsored guidelines on stopping unwanted robocalls and avoiding phone scams to prevent a recurrence.
Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs - The Office of Consumer Affairs unit safeguards residents’ money and financial information by keeping them abreast of scam trends within the county. Aggrieved residents can call (516) 571-2600 or complete complaint forms and submit them in person or by mail.
Nassau County Sheriff’s Department - The Nassau County Sheriff’s Department is in charge of county residents’ security. They also alert locals on common scams within county borders. Residents who suspect scams have been targeted at them can report to the Sheriff’s Department by calling (516) 572-4100.