862 Area Code Scam Report
Area Code 862
The 862 area code covers Area Code 862 and ranks #271 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 19,902 complaints from 9,640 unique phone numbers in the 862 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 510 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 862 distinctive: 58.1% of victims are New Jersey residents, and 17% of victims have a 862 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 862 caller ID because people in the New Jersey 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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862 Area Code at a Glance
19,902
2.1 per number avg
510
independent federal source
58.1%
target New Jersey residents
#271
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 862 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 862 because it is a large, recognizable New Jersey area code. When your phone rings and shows a 862 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 862 numbers:
- 58.1% of victims are in New Jersey, confirming local targeting
- 17% of victims have a 862 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 42% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 862 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 862 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 82%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Warranties & protection plans follows at 76.6%. If your phone rings from a 862 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)
1,949 complaints
82%
robocall rate
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
1,650 complaints
66.2%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
858 complaints
76.6%
robocall rate
Medical & prescriptions
790 complaints
52%
robocall rate
Energy, solar, & utilities
421 complaints
38.7%
robocall rate
Charities
332 complaints
63.9%
robocall rate
Most Reported 862 Numbers
These 862 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 862 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 862 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 New Jersey Scam Call Cluster
862 does not exist in isolation. The entire New Jersey metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 19,902 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 58.1%. This suggests 817 is used almost exclusively for neighbor spoofing, while 469 sees slightly more use in broader nationwide campaigns.
609
Trenton, NJ
75,172 complaints
61.9% target New Jersey
201
Jersey City, NJ
62,416 complaints
63.1% target New Jersey
732
Area Code 732
61,993 complaints
75% target New Jersey
973
Area Code 973
55,486 complaints
79.5% target New Jersey
908
Area Code 908
48,076 complaints
70.1% target New Jersey
856
Area Code 856
39,480 complaints
64.3% target New Jersey
Where This Data Comes From
Every number on this page comes from federal complaint databases, not estimates or surveys. When you check a specific 862 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 19,902 complaints from 862 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 510 complaints from 862 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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