509 Area Code Scam Report
Area Code 509
The 509 area code covers Area Code 509 and ranks #167 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 40,913 complaints from 22,428 unique phone numbers in the 509 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 1,877 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 509 distinctive: 69.9% of victims are Washington residents, and 52% of victims have a 509 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 509 caller ID because people in the Washington 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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509 Area Code at a Glance
40,913
1.8 per number avg
1,877
independent federal source
69.9%
target Washington residents
#167
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 509 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 509 because it is a large, recognizable Washington area code. When your phone rings and shows a 509 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 509 numbers:
- 69.9% of victims are in Washington, confirming local targeting
- 52% of victims have a 509 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 30% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 509 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 509 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 87.4%, meaning 9 out of 10 calls are robots. Computer & technical support follows at 77.5%. If your phone rings from a 509 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
4,530 complaints
69.7%
robocall rate
Medical & prescriptions
2,676 complaints
60.7%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
2,355 complaints
74.6%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
1,526 complaints
87.4%
robocall rate
Vacation & timeshares
532 complaints
67.5%
robocall rate
Computer & technical support
435 complaints
77.5%
robocall rate
Most Reported 509 Numbers
These 509 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 509 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 509 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 Washington Scam Call Cluster
509 does not exist in isolation. The entire Washington metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 40,913 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 69.9%. 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 509 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 40,913 complaints from 509 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 1,877 complaints from 509 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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