406 Area Code Scam Report
Area Code 406
The 406 area code covers Area Code 406 and ranks #201 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 33,172 complaints from 17,725 unique phone numbers in the 406 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 1,098 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 406 distinctive: 45% of victims are Montana residents, and 47% of victims have a 406 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 406 caller ID because people in the Montana 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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406 Area Code at a Glance
33,172
1.9 per number avg
1,098
independent federal source
45%
target Montana residents
#201
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 406 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 406 because it is a large, recognizable Montana area code. When your phone rings and shows a 406 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 406 numbers:
- 45% of victims are in Montana, confirming local targeting
- 47% of victims have a 406 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 55% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 406 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 406 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 84.4%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) follows at 83.3%. If your phone rings from a 406 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
3,788 complaints
70.1%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
2,428 complaints
83.3%
robocall rate
Medical & prescriptions
2,052 complaints
50.7%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
1,944 complaints
84.4%
robocall rate
Charities
457 complaints
47.3%
robocall rate
Computer & technical support
223 complaints
68.2%
robocall rate
Most Reported 406 Numbers
These 406 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 406 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 406 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 Montana Scam Call Cluster
406 does not exist in isolation. The entire Montana metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 33,172 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 45%. 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 406 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 33,172 complaints from 406 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 1,098 complaints from 406 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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