Orange County Reverse Phone Lookup

What are Orange County Area Codes?

An area code is a three-digit prefix appended to a telephone number indicating the geographical area associated with the number. An area code can also indicate how long the number has been in use in that area and whether it is a landline or a wireless number. An area code can cover the same area as another area code. When that happens, the area code is referred to as an area code overlay. You can find the area code for a community or region in the United States by using area code lookup tools online. There are currently two area codes serving Orange County: 845 and 914.

Area Code 845

Area code 845 was first used in 2000 and was created from area code 914. It serves New City, Poughkeepsie, Spring Valley, Newburgh, Middletown, Kingston, Kiryas Joel, Monsey, Nanuet, Pearl River, Beacon, Stony Point, and Haverstraw.

Area Code 914

Area code 914 was split to form area code 516 and area code 845. It originally served southern New York including Long Island except for New York City. Cities within this area code include Howells, Middletown, New Hampton, Newburgh, New Windsor, Vails Gate, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Peekskill, White Plains, Port Chester, and Harrison.

What Are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Orange County?

According to a 2018 National Center of Health Statistics, 38.8% of persons aged 18 and above in New York used wireless-only telephony service while 6.0% of individuals in that demographic use landline-only telephony service. By contrast, 45.9% of individuals aged under 18 use wireless-only telephony service, while 2.9% exclusively used landline service.

All major Wireless telephony service providers have a strong presence in Orange County. Other Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) also exist to provide the same service to residents in the county. T-Mobile has the widest coverage in Orange County with 96% coverage, followed by AT&T with 88%. Verizon and Sprint both have an 80% coverage score.

Other than cellular telephony, wireless telephony service is also offered by VoIP service providers. VoIP, an acronym for Voice over Internet Protocol is a technology that allows users to make telephone calls over an internet connection. With the rise of broadband internet connection, VoIP is becoming a strong choice for phone service for residential and business users alike. Unlike cellular or landline telephones, VoIP takes advantage of a service (Internet) that the user already has to make calls possible. No new connections are required to make use of VoIP. This means VoIP calls can be cheaper than calls placed through traditional telephone services.

What are Orange County Phone Scams?

Orange County phone scams are deceptive practices perpetrated using phone calls placed to Orange County residents where the callers aim to use tricks and other deceptive practices to lure residents into revealing personal information or to steal their money. The Orange County District Attorney, Orange County Sheriff's Office, and other consumer protection agencies provide information and alerts about scams prevalent in the county. Reverse phone number lookup services can also help identify perpetrators of phone scams. Common phone scams in Orange County are listed below.

What are Orange County IRS Scams?

You may receive a phone call from someone who claims to work with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), asking you to make a payment for the taxes owed to the agency. Even though you have not received any previous notices from the IRS, the caller insists that you owe money for back taxes, or that you have missed a paperwork deadline. The scammer may use scare tactics such as threatening you with arrest, license revocation, deportation, and imprisonment if you do not pay up or release personal information such as your date of birth and Social Security number. The scammer demands that you send money by wire transfer, a prepaid debit card, or arrange for you to send money through suspicious means. Many IRS scam calls originate outside the shores of the United States. You may conduct a “reverse phone lookup international” search online to verify the source of such calls. A “reverse phone lookup USA” search will help track the origin of a call placed within the United States.

What are Orange County Charity Scams?

Many organizations pursue charitable causes for the indigent and other worthy causes. However, some crooked individuals view the generosity of others as an opportunity to defraud well-meaning individuals. Charity scams happen all the time; however, they are more common after a major mishap or disaster such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and terrorist attacks. Charity scammers prey on the eagerness of residents to contribute to disaster-relief efforts. Fake charities often use names similar to popular organizations in order to gain the trust of residents. During a charity phone scam, the caller describes the poor conditions faced by those who have been affected by a tragedy or disaster, and describes the enormity of the relief packages intended for them. Once the target makes a payment to this fictitious organization, the caller disappears with the money. Many times, victims do not even know they have been defrauded by a fake charity organization. You can use good reverse phone lookup tools online to quickly do a number lookup or reverse number lookup.

What are Orange County Utility Scams?

Utility scammers pretend to be representatives of public utilities such as local electric, water, and gas companies. The scammers tell Orange County residents that they are late on a utility bill and that service will be cut off if they do not pay at once. A utility scammer may also claim that you are eligible for a reduced rate due to a federal program or offer a plan that helps lower your electric bill. Alternatively, a utility scammer may inform you that you have overpaid and ask for your bank account or credit card information to make a supposed refund. The scammer may also ask you to purchase a prepaid debit card to pay the bill and call back with the card number. Once you make a payment, the impostor drains the value from the card. Ultimately, a utility impostor wants to trick you into making a payment or supplying personal or financial data. There are free reverse phone number lookup tools online to uncover who called and find who a number is registered to.

What are Orange County SBA Scams?

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, fraudsters are now targeting small business owners in the ensuing financial difficulty. The United States Small Business Administration initiated several economic stimulus programs in response to the harsh financial climate experienced by businesses. Some scammers take advantage of the government's relief provisions by calling owners of small businesses informing them that they have been granted a government loan. Posing as employees of the SBA office, they ask business owners to pay processing fees to receive the loan. Note that the SBA will not ask you to make an advance payment to obtain a disaster grant. If in doubt, contact the local SBA office. You can use free reverse phone number lookup tools online to verify the true origin of a call.

What are Orange County Visa and Mastercard Scams?

Visa and MasterCard scams are quite prevalent in Orange County. The scammer already has all the information required except for one piece which will be provided by the target. They do not ask for the card number as they already have it. The caller poses as a staff of the Security and Fraud Department at Visa or MasterCard, mentions a fictitious badge number, and informs you that your card has been flagged for an odd purchase pattern. To supposedly verify and further gain your trust, the scammer mentions the card's issuing bank and asks if you made a particular purchase. When you answer "No", the scammer claims a refund will be sent to your physical address (mentions your address). The scammer claims to initiate a fraud investigation and asks you to call the number on the back of your card and ask for Security. The caller then gives you a six-digit number which will be required when you call, as Control Number.

To verify that you are the owner of the card, the caller asks you to turn your card and read out the last three numbers. These are the numbers you often need to make internet purchases to prove you have the card. Once you do that, the caller "confirms" it and ends with "Do you have any other questions?" The scammer will proceed to make purchases off your card which are charged to your account. Note that Visa and MasterCard will not send credit to your physical address, they only credit your card. These companies also issued their cards, they do not need to ask you for anything on the card as they already know. Using free phone number lookup by name tools online, you can verify if the caller ID displayed on your phone is actually who the number is registered to.

What are Orange County Pay Upfront Scams?

Pay upfront scams are typically targeted at residents with poor credit histories. The caller poses as a representative of a reputable company and uses slick presentations to lure the target into paying huge upfront fees for bogus loans, loan modifications, loan refinancing, or credit cards. The caller promises easy or guaranteed approval if only the target takes advantage of the offer within a limited period by paying a high but seemingly legitimate fee for the application, insurance, or other "services." Once the target makes the payment, the scammer takes off with the fee and leaves the victim with nothing in return. You can use a good reverse phone lookup tool to find out who called you and conduct a free phone number lookup by name online.

What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?

A robocall is an automated telephone call initiated by an autodialer or a predictive dialer that delivers an automated or prerecorded voice message. Robocalls are used by many businesses or agencies to disseminate information to large audiences, such as telemarketers and political parties. Spam robocalls are unsolicited and intrusive. Spam callers do not obtain the express consent of recipients before contacting them. A large number of spam robocalls are intended to unlawfully obtain sensitive information or money from residents.

Many robocalls involve caller ID spoofing, where the caller falsifies the name or number on the call recipient's ID display. By mimicking the caller ID of a trusted business or individual, scammers increase the odds that targets will trust them and release any required information.

Follow these guidelines to limit the number of incoming robocalls and to reduce the chances of falling victim to the tricks of spam callers:

• Hang up on robocalls. If you answer a call and hear a prerecorded message, hang up immediately. Do not press any button or number. That could lead to you receiving more calls from crooked individuals.
• Avoid answering calls from unknown numbers.
• Do not provide or confirm personal or financial information to anyone over the phone, as the request may be fraudulent.
• Contact your telephone provider. Some providers offer call screening or call blocking products, including services that can help conduct a suspicious phone number lookup or reverse phone lookup.
• Download and install a third-party call-blocking application on your mobile phone such as Nomorobo, Truecaller, Hiya, and YouMail.
• Report unwanted calls online to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or call  (888) 382-1222.
• Install a good reverse phone lookup tool on your phone to find out who called and who the number is registered to.
• Register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry maintained by the FTC. Registration is free and can be done by calling (888) 382-1222 from the number you intend to register.

How to Spot and Report Orange County Phone Scams?

Every day, several residents are taken advantage of by professional criminals and con artists using sophisticated methods to steal their money and personal information through phone scams. Tools such as reverse phone number lookup services are effective in identifying potential phone scams. The following are pointers to identify possible phone scams:

• Pressure tactics from a caller trying to force you into making a quick decision. Many scammers do not want you to properly think over other options before you. They try to make you only see the option they have presented. Resist the pressure and hang up on the call. Call a friend, a public body, or a family member to verify the information before making a decision.
• Offers are described as special deals and ending soon. There are no true get-rich-quick schemes. Scammers will lure you with statements like "this is once in a lifetime deal" to obtain money from you. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Unsolicited call from someone threatening you with arrest or imprisonment in order to obtain your personal information or make an urgent payment.
• Unsolicited calls where the caller demands that you make payment by gift cards, wire transfers, or prepaid debit cards.

You can file complaints in Orange County with any of the following public bodies if you have been contacted by a scammer:

• New York State Police: In cases of phone scams, you can contact Troop F headquarters of the New York State Police at (845) 343-5300
• Orange County Sheriff's Office: The Sheriff's Office in Orange has an online form that residents can use to file complaints if they believe they have been contacted by a scammer. You can also reach the Office at (845) 291-4033.
• Orange County District Attorney: The Orange County District Attorney investigates crimes committed within Orange County. You can contact the office at (845) 291-2050.
• New York Attorney General: Law enforcement actions are taken by the Attorney General to protect the public against deceptive acts such as phone scams. If you have fallen victim to a phone scam in Orange County, you can contact the Office of the Attorney General by filing a complaint online.
• Office of the Inspector General: Orange County residents can report any suspected fraud through the Office's hotline at (800) 767-0385 or online.
• The Federal Trade Commission: The FTC maintains a National Do Not Call Registry for citizens to register their phone numbers to block unwanted calls. If you still receive unwanted phone calls thereafter, file a complaint online with the Commission.
• Federal Communications Commission: The FCC also protects American citizens from illegal robocalls. If you still receive robocalls aimed at defrauding you, file a complaint online with the Commission.