What are Suffolk County Area Codes?
Area codes are the first three digits in telephone numbers. Area codes are created by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) to differentiate the Numbering Plan Areas (NPAs) in different states. The New York Department of Public Service (DPS) is in charge of administering area codes in Suffolk County.
Two area codes are currently in use in Suffolk County. These are:
Area Code 631
Area Code 631 is a New York telephone code in the NANP. It covers the towns of Babylon, Huntington, Brookhaven, Southampton, Shelter Island, East Hampton, and Riverhead in Suffolk County.
Area Code 934
An overlay for the 631 numbering plan area, area code 934 covers the same areas as the 631 area code.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Suffolk County?
In Suffolk County, more people use cell phones than landlines for telephone services. A 2018 CDC survey revealed that an estimated 38.8% of New York’s adult population had adopted wireless-only services for telecommunication. Only 6.0% of them still used landlines only. Similarly, children (under 18 years) who used wireless-only telephone services constituted about 45.9% of the total population of minors in New York. In contrast, a small portion (2.9%) of them still used landline phones exclusively. The CDC survey suggests that cell phones are steadily replacing landlines in the state.
The four major phone carriers in the United States all have a presence in Suffolk County, each with different penetration levels. Reception is generally better in the major towns than in the villages. AT&T has a coverage of 100% in Riverhead, while other phone carriers do not have any significant presence. However, in Hauppauge, T-Mobile provides the best coverage of 96%, followed closely by Verizon at 90%. AT&T has a coverage of 76% while Sprint provides the least coverage at 64%.
Suffolk County residents also use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services for telecommunications. VoIP transmits voice and video messages as data over the internet. Persons communicating via VoIP typically pay less but must have internet-enabled devices and internet connections. In 2005, the FCC mandated wireless telephone carriers to provide Enhanced 911 services (E911) via the use of VoIP technology. The Suffolk County FRES, to ensure public safety, encourages residents to use the E911 for emergency communications.
What are Suffolk County Phone Scams?
Phone scams are frauds perpetrated by telephone services with the aim of obtaining money or confidential information from unsuspecting individuals. Residents of Suffolk County can use reverse phone number lookup services to identify phone scammers. The Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) provides scam alerts to protect residents from scams. Also, the Suffolk County Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) regularly educates residents on how best to avoid scams. Residents who have fallen victim to phone scams may file complaints with the DPS or report online to the FTC. The prevalent phone scams in Suffolk County include:
What are COVID-19 Scams?
The IRS is offering tax relief for individuals and businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In these scams, fraudsters pose as representatives of the government and request personal identifying information from their targets. They ask for details of their targets' SSNs, bank accounts, and other confidential information. They claim they need this information to help the individuals to access the stimulus packages.
Typically, they appear to be willing to help through the processes. It is only a ploy to obtain the information for identity and financial thefts. The IRS will never request taxpayers' personal information over a phone call. If you receive such a call and are wondering who called, a reverse phone number lookup can help you identify the caller. Residents who have fallen victim to this scam can report to TIGA by calling 1 (800) 366-4484.
What are PSEG Utility Scams?
Scammers pretend to be representatives of utility companies when they call. They threaten to turn off your power or gas if you fail to pay some outstanding bills immediately. They usually request payment via green dot money cards. Yielding to these threats and divulging your confidential information will make you lose money. The PSEG warns that its representatives will share information that will convince customers that they are speaking with legitimate representatives when they call. It also cautions that its representative will not demand payments via unconventional means like the green dot money card. A reverse number lookup will help you identify the caller when you receive such a call. Residents of Suffolk County can report this kind of scam to the PSEG by contacting their office on 1 (800) 490-0025.
What are Kidnap Scams?
There are several variations of the kidnap scam in Suffolk County. The most typical version involves scammers calling their marks to inform them that they are holding a relative of theirs hostage. They demand ransoms by wire transfers or gift cards and threaten to kill the hostages if the targets fail to comply. They also warn the targets that they risk losing their relatives if they call the police. The scammers will stay on the phone to ensure that you make the payments. The aim is not to allow you to confirm from the said hostages or other relatives. When you receive such calls, try not to panic and do not divulge financial information or make payments. Always contact the said hostages or other relatives to confirm the callers’ claims. Search engines that offer phone number lookup free services can provide you with information on these callers. You can report such calls to the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office on (631) 852-2200.
What are Free Gift Scams?
These scams offer potential victims gifts that appear very attractive. Scammers pose as representatives of corporate businesses and call unsuspecting targets to inform them that they have won certain prize items from their companies. The scammers offer to deliver the gifts to their victims if they pay handling fees immediately. They claim that failure to do that results in losing these prizes to someone else. Typically, they request payments by wire transfers and gift cards.
If you receive a phone call telling you to pay some fees to claim a gift you have won, it is a potential scam offer. Do not provide any personal information or make any payments. Report the caller's phone number online to the FTC or the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. If you suspect a phone call is fraudulent, run the number through a phone number search to answer the question, “who is this number registered to?”
What are Social Security Scams?
Scammers spoof their phone numbers to display legitimate numbers for the Social Security Administration. They claim that the target's SSN is linked to a fraudulent account in another state and used for money laundering. The scammer further alleges that an arrest warrant is out for the target and offers to clear it up. The scammer asks for payment via gift cards or requests the target's financial information. If you have fallen prey to this kind of scam, report it to the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office on (631) 852-2200 to enable them to investigate. You can also file complaints online with the SSA or call 1 (800) 772-1213 to report the call details. A reverse phone lookup can find the name and address linked to the scammer's phone number.
What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?
A robocall is an automated telephone call that delivers a pre-recorded audio message. Government agencies, telemarketers, and politicians make use of robocall in disseminating information to residents of Suffolk County. However, fraudsters also utilize robocalls to perpetrate financial and identity thefts against unsuspecting individuals. Free reverse phone lookups can help identify scammers engaging in robocalls. If you receive a robocall, your best options are:
- Hang up immediately. Attempting to listen further will lead to more messages.
- Use applications that provide phone number lookup free services to identify robocall phone numbers and block these numbers.
- Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry to prevent unsolicited calls. If you still receive such calls after registration, it is very likely these are scam calls.
- Do report such a call online to FTC.
How Can You Spot and Report Suffolk County Phone Scams?
Phone scammers use various ploys to fool unsuspecting targets into revealing their financial and personal information. They then use this information to commit financial and identity thefts. Consumer protection agencies have important roles to play in educating residents against falling victim to scams. Websites and applications that provide phone number lookup by name and address are also great for identifying scammers. Signs that a telephone call is a scam include:
- Scammers offer you gifts but still ask you to make financial commitments before delivering your gifts.
- Scammers pretend to be representatives of legitimate organizations but ask you to pay some fees via cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or gift card. Payments via these means are irreversible or untraceable once they are received.
- Scammers ask you to pay fines immediately while on the phone and threaten you with arrest if you fail to comply. They usually claim to represent law enforcement agencies but request payments via unusual means.
- Scammers are unwilling to answer questions you throw at them about the offers they bring to you.
- Scammers claim to be employees of government agencies and call to verify your personal information. It is a ploy to commit identity theft against you. No government agency will verify personal information over unsolicited phone calls. Government agencies already have detailed records of citizens.
Frequent communication and implementation of policies to protect residents by consumer protection agencies help in combating phone scams. Some of these agencies are:
Federal Communications Commission - The FCC regulates communication in the United States and provides consumers with information on how to stop unsolicited calls and avoid phone scams. Persons who have been victims of robocall scams can file complaints with the FCC or report the details by calling 1 (888) 225-5322.
Federal Trade Commission - Among its many functions, the FTC is responsible for protecting consumers from scams. The National Do Not Call Registry is one of such measures put in place to protect consumers. Any robocall you receive after adding your number on the Registry is a potential phone scam. You can report details of unwanted robocalls to the FTC online or by calling 1 (888) 382-1222.
Suffolk County Sheriff Office - The Sheriff's Office provides scam alerts and educates residents of the various tactics employed by scammers to protect them from falling victims. They also work closely with other agencies investigating cases of phone scams. If you suspect a call is fraudulent, report the details to the Sheriff's Office on (631) 852-2200.
Internal Revenue Service - The IRS provides consumer alerts to protect taxpayers against tax-related scams. If you have fallen victim to scams related to taxes, report to TIGA by calling 1 (800) 366-4484.