681 Area Code Scam Report
Area Code 681
The 681 area code covers Area Code 681 and ranks #264 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 10,760 complaints from 4,239 unique phone numbers in the 681 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 410 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 681 distinctive: 44.7% of victims are West Virginia residents, and 7% of victims have a 681 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 681 caller ID because people in the West Virginia 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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681 Area Code at a Glance
10,760
2.5 per number avg
410
independent federal source
44.7%
target West Virginia residents
#264
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 681 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 681 because it is a large, recognizable West Virginia area code. When your phone rings and shows a 681 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 681 numbers:
- 44.7% of victims are in West Virginia, confirming local targeting
- 7% of victims have a 681 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 681 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 681 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.
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) scams have the highest automation rate at 84.9%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Computer & technical support follows at 76.3%. If your phone rings from a 681 number and you hear a recorded message about debt, tech support, or a government agency, it is almost certainly spoofed.
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
1,342 complaints
84.9%
robocall rate
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
899 complaints
62.5%
robocall rate
Medical & prescriptions
796 complaints
60.3%
robocall rate
Charities
247 complaints
70.4%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
149 complaints
55%
robocall rate
Computer & technical support
59 complaints
76.3%
robocall rate
Most Reported 681 Numbers
These 681 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 681 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 681 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 West Virginia Scam Call Cluster
681 does not exist in isolation. The entire West Virginia metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 10,760 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 44.7%. 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 681 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 10,760 complaints from 681 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 410 complaints from 681 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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