617 Area Code Scam Report
Boston, MA
The 617 area code covers Boston, MA and ranks #176 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 40,653 complaints from 21,603 unique phone numbers in the 617 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 1,206 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 617 distinctive: 71.6% of victims are Massachusetts residents, and 60% of victims have a 617 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 617 caller ID because people in the Massachusetts 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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617 Area Code at a Glance
40,653
1.9 per number avg
1,206
independent federal source
71.6%
target Massachusetts residents
#176
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 617 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 617 because it is a large, recognizable Massachusetts area code. When your phone rings and shows a 617 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 617 numbers:
- 71.6% of victims are in Massachusetts, confirming local targeting
- 60% of victims have a 617 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 617 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 617 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 82.3%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) follows at 81.9%. If your phone rings from a 617 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
5,078 complaints
71.9%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
3,716 complaints
81.9%
robocall rate
Medical & prescriptions
2,267 complaints
53%
robocall rate
Energy, solar, & utilities
2,068 complaints
54.2%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
1,041 complaints
82.3%
robocall rate
Home improvement & cleaning
429 complaints
42.9%
robocall rate
Most Reported 617 Numbers
These 617 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 617 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 617 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 Massachusetts Scam Call Cluster
617 does not exist in isolation. The entire Massachusetts metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 40,653 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 71.6%. This suggests 817 is used almost exclusively for neighbor spoofing, while 469 sees slightly more use in broader nationwide campaigns.
508
Worcester, MA
45,685 complaints
69.2% target Massachusetts
978
Lowell, MA
37,024 complaints
60.9% target Massachusetts
781
North Shore, MA
25,743 complaints
64.1% target Massachusetts
413
Western MA
22,471 complaints
57.2% target Massachusetts
774
Worcester, MA
19,740 complaints
41.8% target Massachusetts
857
Boston, MA
16,849 complaints
40.9% target Massachusetts
Where This Data Comes From
Every number on this page comes from federal complaint databases, not estimates or surveys. When you check a specific 617 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 40,653 complaints from 617 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 1,206 complaints from 617 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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