254 Area Code Scam Report
Waco/Killeen, TX
The 254 area code covers Waco/Killeen, TX and ranks #43 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 31,231 complaints from 10,550 unique phone numbers in the 254 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 1,422 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 254 distinctive: 56.3% of victims are Texas residents, and 31% of victims have a 254 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 254 caller ID because people in the Texas 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.
Got a call from a 254 number?
Enter the last 7 digits to check it against 32,653 federal complaints and real-time carrier data instantly.
254 Area Code at a Glance
31,231
3 per number avg
1,422
independent federal source
56.3%
target Texas residents
#43
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 254 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 254 because it is a large, recognizable Texas area code. When your phone rings and shows a 254 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 254 numbers:
- 56.3% of victims are in Texas, confirming local targeting
- 31% of victims have a 254 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 44% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 254 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 254 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.
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) scams have the highest automation rate at 91.2%, meaning 9 out of 10 calls are robots. Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends follows at 77.8%. If your phone rings from a 254 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)
5,367 complaints
91.2%
robocall rate
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
2,980 complaints
77.8%
robocall rate
Medical & prescriptions
2,023 complaints
52.2%
robocall rate
Charities
345 complaints
50.4%
robocall rate
Energy, solar, & utilities
337 complaints
61.4%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
298 complaints
55%
robocall rate
Most Reported 254 Numbers
These 254 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 254 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 254 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.
Related Articles
Check any 254 number instantly
Free AI analysis backed by 32,653 federal complaints and real-time carrier data.
The Texas Scam Call Cluster
254 does not exist in isolation. The entire Texas metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 31,231 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 56.3%. This suggests 817 is used almost exclusively for neighbor spoofing, while 469 sees slightly more use in broader nationwide campaigns.
469
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
39,202 complaints
70.4% target Texas
512
Austin, TX
37,723 complaints
81.7% target Texas
817
Fort Worth, TX
35,104 complaints
84% target Texas
214
Dallas, TX
31,380 complaints
76.9% target Texas
972
Dallas Suburbs, TX
30,767 complaints
79.8% target Texas
210
San Antonio, TX
30,638 complaints
78% target Texas
Where This Data Comes From
Every number on this page comes from federal complaint databases, not estimates or surveys. When you check a specific 254 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 31,231 complaints from 254 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 1,422 complaints from 254 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.
Check any phone number, website, text, email, document, or QR code for free.
Instant AI analysis backed by millions of federal records and real-time threat data.
Check Now