828 Area Code Scam Report
Area Code 828
Updated Jul 19, 2026 · FTC complaint data
The 828 area code covers Area Code 828 and ranks #86 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 58,099 complaints from 30,413 unique phone numbers in the 828 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 1,395 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 828 distinctive: 69.2% of victims are North Carolina residents, and 56% of victims have a 828 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 828 caller ID because people in the North Carolina 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 828 number?
Tell Ava what happened and she checks it against 59,494 federal complaints and real-time carrier data, then tells you exactly what you are dealing with.
828 Area Code at a Glance
58,099
1.9 per number avg
1,395
independent federal source
69.2%
target North Carolina residents
#86
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 828 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 828 because it is a large, recognizable North Carolina area code. When your phone rings and shows a 828 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 828 numbers:
- 69.2% of victims are in North Carolina, confirming local targeting
- 56% of victims have a 828 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 31% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 828 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 828 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 84.2%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Energy, solar, & utilities follows at 79.9%. If your phone rings from a 828 number and you hear a recorded message about debt, tech support, or a government agency, it is almost certainly spoofed.
Medical & prescriptions
5,552 complaints
61.8%
robocall rate
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
5,324 complaints
67.2%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
5,302 complaints
71.6%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
2,751 complaints
84.2%
robocall rate
Charities
408 complaints
59.3%
robocall rate
Energy, solar, & utilities
393 complaints
79.9%
robocall rate
Most Reported 828 Numbers
These 828 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 828 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 828 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
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The North Carolina Scam Call Cluster
828 does not exist in isolation. The entire North Carolina metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 58,099 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 69.2%. This suggests 817 is used almost exclusively for neighbor spoofing, while 469 sees slightly more use in broader nationwide campaigns.
336
Greensboro, NC
68,754 complaints
78.8% target North Carolina
704
Charlotte, NC
65,463 complaints
76.6% target North Carolina
910
Area Code 910
61,192 complaints
72.3% target North Carolina
919
Area Code 919
58,293 complaints
80% target North Carolina
252
Eastern NC
47,707 complaints
61.3% target North Carolina
980
Area Code 980
45,603 complaints
50.9% target North Carolina
Where This Data Comes From
Every number on this page comes from federal complaint databases, not estimates or surveys. When you check a specific 828 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 58,099 complaints from 828 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 1,395 complaints from 828 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.