260 Area Code Scam Report
Area Code 260
The 260 area code covers Area Code 260 and ranks #248 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 24,450 complaints from 12,437 unique phone numbers in the 260 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 570 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 260 distinctive: 63.9% of victims are Indiana residents, and 55% of victims have a 260 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 260 caller ID because people in the Indiana 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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260 Area Code at a Glance
24,450
2 per number avg
570
independent federal source
63.9%
target Indiana residents
#248
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 260 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 260 because it is a large, recognizable Indiana area code. When your phone rings and shows a 260 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 260 numbers:
- 63.9% of victims are in Indiana, confirming local targeting
- 55% of victims have a 260 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 36% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 260 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 260 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.
Computer & technical support scams have the highest automation rate at 79.7%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends follows at 70.8%. If your phone rings from a 260 number and you hear a recorded message about debt, tech support, or a government agency, it is almost certainly spoofed.
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
1,811 complaints
70.8%
robocall rate
Medical & prescriptions
1,425 complaints
55.9%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
1,228 complaints
61.6%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
335 complaints
64.8%
robocall rate
Computer & technical support
153 complaints
79.7%
robocall rate
Charities
136 complaints
68.4%
robocall rate
Most Reported 260 Numbers
These 260 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 260 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 260 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 Indiana Scam Call Cluster
260 does not exist in isolation. The entire Indiana metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 24,450 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 63.9%. This suggests 817 is used almost exclusively for neighbor spoofing, while 469 sees slightly more use in broader nationwide campaigns.
317
Area Code 317
43,263 complaints
67.8% target Indiana
219
Area Code 219
39,465 complaints
51.3% target Indiana
812
Area Code 812
32,150 complaints
66.4% target Indiana
765
Area Code 765
28,818 complaints
62.5% target Indiana
574
Area Code 574
24,595 complaints
71.5% target Indiana
463
Area Code 463
13,721 complaints
58.4% target Indiana
Where This Data Comes From
Every number on this page comes from federal complaint databases, not estimates or surveys. When you check a specific 260 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 24,450 complaints from 260 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 570 complaints from 260 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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