404 Area Code Scam Report
Atlanta, GA
The 404 area code covers Atlanta, GA and ranks #93 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 54,961 complaints from 26,341 unique phone numbers in the 404 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 2,122 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 404 distinctive: 71.8% of victims are Georgia residents, and 61% of victims have a 404 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 404 caller ID because people in the Georgia 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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404 Area Code at a Glance
54,961
2.1 per number avg
2,122
independent federal source
71.8%
target Georgia residents
#93
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 404 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 404 because it is a large, recognizable Georgia area code. When your phone rings and shows a 404 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 404 numbers:
- 71.8% of victims are in Georgia, confirming local targeting
- 61% of victims have a 404 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 28% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 404 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 404 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 79.3%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) follows at 73.6%. If your phone rings from a 404 number and you hear a recorded message about debt, tech support, or a government agency, it is almost certainly spoofed.
Medical & prescriptions
6,488 complaints
65%
robocall rate
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
6,475 complaints
68.2%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
2,514 complaints
73.6%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
2,313 complaints
79.3%
robocall rate
Home improvement & cleaning
430 complaints
30%
robocall rate
Computer & technical support
419 complaints
64.2%
robocall rate
Most Reported 404 Numbers
These 404 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 404 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 404 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 Georgia Scam Call Cluster
404 does not exist in isolation. The entire Georgia metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 54,961 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 71.8%. This suggests 817 is used almost exclusively for neighbor spoofing, while 469 sees slightly more use in broader nationwide campaigns.
470
Atlanta, GA
75,782 complaints
49.6% target Georgia
770
Atlanta Suburbs, GA
68,121 complaints
78.4% target Georgia
706
Augusta, GA
63,432 complaints
73.4% target Georgia
678
Atlanta Metro, GA
58,622 complaints
72.7% target Georgia
912
Savannah, GA
36,844 complaints
59% target Georgia
229
South Georgia
35,923 complaints
49.4% target Georgia
Where This Data Comes From
Every number on this page comes from federal complaint databases, not estimates or surveys. When you check a specific 404 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 54,961 complaints from 404 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 2,122 complaints from 404 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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