402 Area Code Scam Report
Area Code 402
The 402 area code covers Area Code 402 and ranks #97 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 53,909 complaints from 25,390 unique phone numbers in the 402 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 1,131 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 402 distinctive: 71.1% of victims are Nebraska residents, and 72% of victims have a 402 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 402 caller ID because people in the Nebraska 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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402 Area Code at a Glance
53,909
2.1 per number avg
1,131
independent federal source
71.1%
target Nebraska residents
#97
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 402 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 402 because it is a large, recognizable Nebraska area code. When your phone rings and shows a 402 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 402 numbers:
- 71.1% of victims are in Nebraska, confirming local targeting
- 72% of victims have a 402 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 29% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 402 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 402 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.
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends scams have the highest automation rate at 80.4%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) follows at 76.3%. If your phone rings from a 402 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
6,231 complaints
80.4%
robocall rate
Medical & prescriptions
4,166 complaints
58.8%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
2,185 complaints
76.3%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
1,645 complaints
75.3%
robocall rate
Home improvement & cleaning
722 complaints
46.7%
robocall rate
Energy, solar, & utilities
350 complaints
70.6%
robocall rate
Most Reported 402 Numbers
These 402 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 402 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 402 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 Nebraska Scam Call Cluster
402 does not exist in isolation. The entire Nebraska metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 53,909 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 71.1%. 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 402 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 53,909 complaints from 402 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 1,131 complaints from 402 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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