901 Area Code Scam Report
Area Code 901
The 901 area code covers Area Code 901 and ranks #146 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 21,022 complaints from 8,490 unique phone numbers in the 901 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 2,513 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 901 distinctive: 66.7% of victims are Tennessee residents, and 56% of victims have a 901 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 901 caller ID because people in the Tennessee 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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901 Area Code at a Glance
21,022
2.5 per number avg
2,513
independent federal source
66.7%
target Tennessee residents
#146
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 901 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 901 because it is a large, recognizable Tennessee area code. When your phone rings and shows a 901 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 901 numbers:
- 66.7% of victims are in Tennessee, confirming local targeting
- 56% of victims have a 901 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 33% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 901 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 901 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.
Charities scams have the highest automation rate at 63.9%, meaning 6 out of 10 calls are robots. Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends follows at 57.4%. If your phone rings from a 901 number and you hear a recorded message about debt, tech support, or a government agency, it is almost certainly spoofed.
Medical & prescriptions
2,508 complaints
51.2%
robocall rate
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
1,944 complaints
57.4%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
1,285 complaints
57.4%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
291 complaints
27.1%
robocall rate
Charities
208 complaints
63.9%
robocall rate
Computer & technical support
106 complaints
44.3%
robocall rate
Most Reported 901 Numbers
These 901 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 901 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 901 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 Tennessee Scam Call Cluster
901 does not exist in isolation. The entire Tennessee metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 21,022 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 66.7%. This suggests 817 is used almost exclusively for neighbor spoofing, while 469 sees slightly more use in broader nationwide campaigns.
615
Nashville, TN
34,437 complaints
77.8% target Tennessee
423
Area Code 423
26,867 complaints
72.1% target Tennessee
865
Knoxville, TN
19,831 complaints
81% target Tennessee
731
Area Code 731
16,521 complaints
53.4% target Tennessee
931
Clarksville, TN
13,223 complaints
73.7% target Tennessee
629
Area Code 629
6,371 complaints
66.1% target Tennessee
Where This Data Comes From
Every number on this page comes from federal complaint databases, not estimates or surveys. When you check a specific 901 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 21,022 complaints from 901 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 2,513 complaints from 901 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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