240 Area Code Scam Report
Maryland
The 240 area code covers Maryland and ranks #50 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 64,363 complaints from 29,581 unique phone numbers in the 240 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 1,655 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 240 distinctive: 55.4% of victims are Maryland residents, and 28% of victims have a 240 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 240 caller ID because people in the Maryland area are far more likely to answer a call that looks like it is coming from their own neighborhood. The number on your screen is fabricated.
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240 Area Code at a Glance
64,363
2.2 per number avg
1,655
independent federal source
55.4%
target Maryland residents
#50
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 240 Numbers
Caller ID spoofing is trivially easy with modern VoIP technology. Scammers operating from anywhere in the world can make your phone display any number they choose. They pick 240 because it is a large, recognizable Maryland area code. When your phone rings and shows a 240 number, your instinct is that it might be a local business, a doctor's office, or someone you know. That instinct is exactly what scammers exploit.
The data confirms this. Of all FTC complaints about 240 numbers:
- 55.4% of victims are in Maryland, confirming local targeting
- 28% of victims have a 240 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 45% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 240 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 240 scam calls run the same playbook. The FTC categorizes complaints by subject, and the automation rate (robocall percentage) reveals which scams are run by machines versus live callers.
Warranties & protection plans scams have the highest automation rate at 84.3%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) follows at 84%. If your phone rings from a 240 number and you hear a recorded message about debt, tech support, or a government agency, it is almost certainly spoofed.
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
6,106 complaints
84%
robocall rate
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
6,002 complaints
65%
robocall rate
Medical & prescriptions
3,031 complaints
44.8%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
2,986 complaints
84.3%
robocall rate
Charities
946 complaints
54%
robocall rate
Home improvement & cleaning
784 complaints
46.6%
robocall rate
Most Reported 240 Numbers
These 240 numbers have the highest FTC complaint counts. Click any number to see the full scam report with carrier data, complaint history, and AI risk analysis.
What to Do If You Get a Call from a 240 Number
If you did not answer
Do not call back. Scammers spoof real people's numbers, so calling back may reach an innocent person. Instead, check the number on ScamVerify™ to see if it has been reported. If there is no voicemail, it was almost certainly a robocall.
If you answered
Hang up immediately if you hear a recorded message. If a live person asks for personal information, payment, or claims to be from the IRS, Social Security, or your bank, do not engage. Legitimate agencies do not cold-call demanding immediate payment. Check the number below, then report it to the FTC at donotcall.gov.
Remember: the number is not real
The 240 number that appeared on your screen was almost certainly spoofed. The actual caller could be anywhere. This is why blocking individual numbers has limited value. Scammers generate thousands of spoofed numbers and discard them after a few calls.
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The Maryland Scam Call Cluster
240 does not exist in isolation. The entire Maryland metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 64,363 FTC complaints, making DFW one of the most spoofed metro areas in the country.
Fort Worth's 817 has the highest in-state targeting rate at 84%, while 469 sits at 55.4%. This suggests 817 is used almost exclusively for neighbor spoofing, while 469 sees slightly more use in broader nationwide campaigns.
Where This Data Comes From
Every number on this page comes from federal complaint databases, not estimates or surveys. When you check a specific 240 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 64,363 complaints from 240 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 1,655 complaints from 240 numbers. An independent federal source that corroborates the FTC data.
- Carrier Intelligence - Real-time caller ID verification, line type detection, and STIR/SHAKEN attestation available when you check a specific number.
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