513 Area Code Scam Report
Cincinnati, OH
The 513 area code covers Cincinnati, OH and ranks #20 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 76,974 complaints from 35,737 unique phone numbers in the 513 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 1,861 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 513 distinctive: 71.8% of victims are Ohio residents, and 61% of victims have a 513 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 513 caller ID because people in the Ohio 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.
The Ohio region is one of the most spoofed areas in the country. Across all 4 area codes (614, 216, 513, 330), there are a combined 314,844 FTC complaints. Scammers rotate through these codes, so a number that showed up as 513 today might appear under a different local code tomorrow.
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513 Area Code at a Glance
76,974
2.2 per number avg
1,861
independent federal source
71.8%
target Ohio residents
#20
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 513 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 513 because it is a large, recognizable Ohio area code. When your phone rings and shows a 513 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 513 numbers:
- 71.8% of victims are in Ohio, confirming local targeting
- 61% of victims have a 513 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 513 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 513 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 81.6%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Energy, solar, & utilities follows at 69.1%. If your phone rings from a 513 number and you hear a recorded message about debt, tech support, or a government agency, it is almost certainly spoofed.
Medical & prescriptions
7,378 complaints
62.8%
robocall rate
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
5,170 complaints
66%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
2,076 complaints
63.3%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
1,966 complaints
81.6%
robocall rate
Energy, solar, & utilities
1,872 complaints
69.1%
robocall rate
Home improvement & cleaning
617 complaints
53.3%
robocall rate
Most Reported 513 Numbers
These 513 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 513 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 513 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 Ohio Scam Call Cluster
513 does not exist in isolation. The entire Ohio metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 314,844 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.
Where This Data Comes From
Every number on this page comes from federal complaint databases, not estimates or surveys. When you check a specific 513 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 76,974 complaints from 513 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 1,861 complaints from 513 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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