601 Area Code Scam Report
Area Code 601
The 601 area code covers Area Code 601 and ranks #204 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 16,234 complaints from 6,869 unique phone numbers in the 601 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 887 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 601 distinctive: 73.7% of victims are Mississippi residents, and 72% of victims have a 601 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 601 caller ID because people in the Mississippi 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.
Got a call from a 601 number?
Enter the last 7 digits to check it against 17,121 federal complaints and real-time carrier data instantly.
601 Area Code at a Glance
16,234
2.4 per number avg
887
independent federal source
73.7%
target Mississippi residents
#204
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 601 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 601 because it is a large, recognizable Mississippi area code. When your phone rings and shows a 601 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 601 numbers:
- 73.7% of victims are in Mississippi, confirming local targeting
- 72% of victims have a 601 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 26% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 601 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 601 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.
Home improvement & cleaning scams have the highest automation rate at 87.9%, meaning 9 out of 10 calls are robots. Home security & alarms follows at 85.3%. If your phone rings from a 601 number and you hear a recorded message about debt, tech support, or a government agency, it is almost certainly spoofed.
Medical & prescriptions
2,808 complaints
59.1%
robocall rate
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
1,487 complaints
50.5%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
784 complaints
76%
robocall rate
Home security & alarms
204 complaints
85.3%
robocall rate
Home improvement & cleaning
199 complaints
87.9%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
190 complaints
44.7%
robocall rate
Most Reported 601 Numbers
These 601 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 601 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 601 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.
Related Articles
Check any 601 number instantly
Free AI analysis backed by 17,121 federal complaints and real-time carrier data.
The Mississippi Scam Call Cluster
601 does not exist in isolation. The entire Mississippi metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 16,234 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 73.7%. 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 601 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 16,234 complaints from 601 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 887 complaints from 601 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.
Check any phone number, website, text, email, document, or QR code for free.
Instant AI analysis backed by millions of federal records and real-time threat data.
Check Now