What are Montgomery County Area Codes?
The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) divides every North American telephone number into Numbering Plan Areas (NPAs). These NPAs are assigned Area codes. Area codes are three-digit numbers that precede telephone numbers with the North American region. They are used to identify countries, states, counties, and cities that calls originate from. An area code enhances the ease of tracing the origin of a call. To identify the geographical location certain calls originate from, interested persons have the option of utilizing reverse phone lookup services to conduct area code lookups.
Area Code 205
Area code 205 was a part of the first codes created in 1947 when AT&T placed the NANP in operation. It covered the entire State of Alabama, which made Alabama one of the 32 states covered by a single NPA. However, this area code was split in 1995 and 1998. In 2019, area code 659 sprung up as an overlay for the regions area code 205 served. Some towns this area code covers are Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Hamilton, etc.
Area Code 334
Area Code 334 is the area code that covers Southeastern Alabama in the North American Numbering Plan. It was created on 15 January 1995 as a split from area code 205. Since the 1947 implementation of Area codes, it happened to be the first new area code in the State of Alabama. Some of the cities this area code covers are Auburn, Dothan, Opelika, Montgomery, etc.
What Are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Montgomery County?
In Montgomery County, there are four main phone networks, including AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Of these four, Verizon ranks the highest, having the widest coverage with 88%. AT&T comes next with 80%, followed by T-Mobile with 72%. Sprint has the least network coverage. Notwithstanding the quality of these networks, certain factors such as population density, harsh weather, and so on can affect the network quality in Montgomery County, where applicable.
According to the 2018 National Center of Health Statistics survey, the Alabama adult population that used only wireless telephone is an estimate of 57.6%, while the adult population that used landline only is an estimate of 5.8%. On the other hand, an estimate of 71.6% of the Alabama population of minors under age 18 used wireless telephones, while just 2% of the minors used landlines only. From the survey, it is glaring that adults and minors in Alabama, prefer to use wireless telephones rather than landlines for telephony services.
Residents and businesses in Montgomery mostly use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP is a type of technology that uses an internet broadband connection to receive and place calls and to transmit multimedia content. It is not restricted to only calls within the country, but it also permits international calls at no extra cost. VoIP eliminates the need to run multiple phone lines, it is affordable. It has features such as call routing, call screening, conferencing, voicemail to email transcription, and so on.
VoIP is not without some limitations. Aside from situations where internet connection is absent, one major limitation of VoIP has to do with 911 emergency services. VoIP is not geographically based. 911 emergency services are based on geography solely. However, VoIP service provides the E911 service, which sends one’s location to the appropriate emergency service directly. Before using this service, the caller must have provided their location. The caller also has the option of updating the location if it changes.
What Are Montgomery County Phone Scams?
Montgomery County phone scams are targeted at residents over the phone to exploit, extort, and deceitfully obtain their personal and financial information. Over time, phone scams in Montgomery county have progressed with scammers adopting diverse and technologically enhanced methods. With the use of VoIP for Caller ID spoofing, scammers disguise and take on the Caller IDs of government agencies, legitimate organizations, or even individuals the recipients are familiar with. Scammers also take advantage of robocalls because it is easy to use and very affordable. Although these technological innovations are legal, scammers use them for illegal purposes. For this reason, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) enlightens and educates residents on phone scams, illegal Caller ID spoofing, and how to activate call blocking, when necessary.
Residents of Montgomery County also have the option of utilizing reverse phone lookup services free for the easy identification and blocking of unknown phone numbers.
Some common phone scams in Montgomery County are:
What are Imposter Scams?
The most predominant scams in Montgomery County are imposter scams. Here, residents receive calls from fraudsters who pose as legitimate entities in a bid to steal, extort, and steal recipients’ financial and personal information, such as social security numbers, bank account details, etc. These scammers duplicate the phone numbers of legitimate entities to win the recipients’ trust by using Caller ID spoofing to block their Caller IDs.
Imposter scams are on the rise and take various forms and for these reasons, residents should be careful and report to the appropriate law enforcement agencies in case of such encounters. Residents should also take advantage of reverse phone lookup applications and websites to answer the question “who called me.”
Imposter scams include:
IRS Scams
IRS Scams are tax-related scams directed at taxpayers. Here, scammers impersonate the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officers and claim to be from the “Department of Legal Affairs.” The scammers claim that their targets owe taxes and issue threats of arrest, deportation, and frozen assets upon default. These scammers then demand that the payment be made immediately via prepaid cards, PayPal, MoneyGram, wire transfers, and so on. Residents need to be mindful of these tacts and make sure not to give out their personal or financial information. The IRS will never demand payment through any of these means. Residents can also use free phone number lookup tools to identify the scammers.
Residents can report IRS scams by contacting the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) online or on phone at 1-800-366-4484. Residents should also include in the report, details of the calls such as the date and time of the call, where the call was received, a brief explanation of the conversation, etc. Residents can also report to the Alabama Internal Revenue Service on +1 800-829-1040.
Romance Scams
Romance scams occur between supposed lovers. Here, scammers adopt fake identities to gain their targets’ trust usually on dating apps or websites to manipulate and steal from them. These scammers request financial aid from their supposed lovers and make up seemingly genuine reasons to back up their requests, such as medical expenses, travel expenses, customs fees, gambling debts, etc. They mostly request that the money is sent through wire transfers or gift cards because it is difficult to trace and retrieve such monies.
Residents are advised not to send money to lovers they have not met before. Once you suspect a scam, stop communication with the person and report such scam to the FTC complaint assistant. Also, if payment has been made with a gift card, contact the card-issuing company immediately.
Grandparent Scam
Grandparent scams are targeted at older residents. Scammers pretend to be their grandkids or even close family members of their targets and solicit funds for emergencies of some sort. The “grandkid” is usually frantic as though in serious trouble. Claims of emergencies like bail, ill-health, accident, etc. are mostly used. In some instances, the “grandkids” go as far as pleading that the other family members are not informed. These scammers mostly take advantage of the night-time to call, as they believe it is easier to deceive their targets during this time. Note that these scammers sometimes get some of the targets’ information from social media and use them to gain their trust. Payment is then demanded through gift cards, prepaid cards, wire transfers, or bitcoins.
Older residents should understand that not all familiar numbers are from persons they know. Therefore, they need to verify the callers’ information before acting in response to such calls. Good reverse phone lookup tools help provide necessary information on the callers. Residents are advised not to send money or disclose personal information without first verifying the callers. Reverse phone number services can also be used to block such suspicious phone numbers.
Charity Scams
Residents extend their goodwill to others through charity, especially in the event of disasters. Scammers optimize this opportunity to swindle residents of their money. The scammers claim that the funds will be given to those in need, only to take it for themselves. As expected, they hide their Caller ID and take on that of legitimate charity organizations. Residents can conduct phone lookup free of charge with reverse phone lookup tools to reveal whether or not certain Caller IDs were spoofed. Residents are encouraged to do their research before making donations. Also, donations requested in the form of gift cards, prepaid cards, and wire transfers should be ignored. Do not be rushed into making donations.
What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Phone calls that use computerized autodialers to send pre-recorded messages to a large number of persons are called robocalls. These calls can be for emergency announcements or the dissemination of information, but they are mostly associated with Political Party campaigns and telemarketing campaigns. Some robocalls include prompts for the recipients to either be transferred to live agents or to stop receiving such calls. These calls are suspicious as robocalls are meant to be solely informational. Residents should be wary of such calls as they could be from scammers. Some scammers use robocalls to deceitfully obtain their targets’ financial and personal information to defraud them.
Note that robocalls can be either legitimate or illegitimate. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), has highlighted a few legitimate robocalls, which do not need the residents’ permission before they can be placed. They include robocalls for:
- Debt collection
- Purely Informational purposes
- Political campaigns
- Legitimate charities
- Legitimate healthcare institutions.
However, every other form of robocall requires the permission of the recipient before it can be placed. Spam calls, on the other hand, are unwanted calls distributed in bulk mainly for advertising purposes and any other reason that is irrelevant to the recipients.
To avoid and combat illegitimate robocalls, residents should take the following steps:
- Hang up once you realize that you have picked an unsolicited robocall. Also do not follow call prompts as these robocalls direct you to.
- Utilize free reverse phone number lookup tools to uncover and block robocalls.
- Contact the FTC to file complaints on the online complaint assistant or call 1-888-382-1222.
- Register all personal phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry to easily trace and limit robocalls.
How to Spot and Report Montgomery County Phone Scams?
Phone scams in Montgomery County take on diverse forms and are targeted at residents on different levels. It is important to know that these scams exist and also be acquainted with the various forms they take and red flags that will serve as pointers to these scams. Some of these red flags are:
- Calls requesting payment via wire transfer, gift cards, debit cards, and so on - No legitimate body, agency, or organization will ask for such payment. Such payments are often untraceable and unretrievable.
- Urgent calls with the callers requesting secrecy - Hang up such calls immediately and do not make hasty decisions. Conduct a phone number lookup to answer the question “who is this number registered to?”
- Calls that demand personal or financial information- Never give out such information, instead, directly contact the agency that you suspect is being impersonated.
- Unwanted calls from unfamiliar numbers - Use reverse phone lookups to find out who called. These apps and websites may also be used for call blocking or blocking options as provided by your service provider.
- Calls informing recipients to make upfront payments before claiming prizes - Hang up such calls and report to the relevant law enforcement agency.
Residents of Montgomery County can report scams to any of these government agencies:
Montgomery County Sheriff's Department - Contact the Sheriff’s Office to report scams by calling 334-832-4980 or report in person at:
115 S Perry Street, Montgomery,
AL 36103, United States.
Montgomery Police Department - Contact the Police Department by calling on 334-625-2532 or visit the Police Department to report in person at:
320 North Ripley Street,
Montgomery, AL 36104
Federal Trade Commission - Report phone scams through the online consumer complaint assistant or register on the FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry to limit unsolicited calls.
Federal Communications Commission - Report phone scams by calling on 1-877-382-4357 or by completing the online complaint form.