940 Area Code Scam Report
Denton, TX
Updated Jun 28, 2026 · FTC complaint data
The 940 area code covers Denton, TX and ranks #260 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 22,890 complaints from 11,526 unique phone numbers in the 940 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 545 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 940 distinctive: 74% of victims are Texas residents, and 43% of victims have a 940 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 940 caller ID because people in the Texas 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 940 number?
Tell Ava what happened and she checks it against 23,435 federal complaints and real-time carrier data, then tells you exactly what you are dealing with.
940 Area Code at a Glance
22,890
2 per number avg
545
independent federal source
74%
target Texas residents
#260
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 940 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 940 because it is a large, recognizable Texas area code. When your phone rings and shows a 940 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 940 numbers:
- 74% of victims are in Texas, confirming local targeting
- 43% of victims have a 940 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 26% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 940 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 940 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 82.9%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) follows at 82.3%. If your phone rings from a 940 number and you hear a recorded message about debt, tech support, or a government agency, it is almost certainly spoofed.
Medical & prescriptions
2,414 complaints
37.7%
robocall rate
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
2,253 complaints
54.7%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
1,493 complaints
82.9%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
1,399 complaints
82.3%
robocall rate
Energy, solar, & utilities
271 complaints
49.1%
robocall rate
Home improvement & cleaning
212 complaints
25.9%
robocall rate
Most Reported 940 Numbers
These 940 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 940 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 940 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 Texas Scam Call Cluster
940 does not exist in isolation. The entire Texas metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 22,890 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 74%. This suggests 817 is used almost exclusively for neighbor spoofing, while 469 sees slightly more use in broader nationwide campaigns.
469
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
82,200 complaints
66.7% target Texas
817
Fort Worth, TX
78,886 complaints
82.9% target Texas
512
Austin, TX
75,741 complaints
80% target Texas
281
Houston, TX
70,839 complaints
82.6% target Texas
210
San Antonio, TX
70,453 complaints
79% target Texas
972
Dallas Suburbs, TX
70,148 complaints
80.3% target Texas
Where This Data Comes From
Every number on this page comes from federal complaint databases, not estimates or surveys. When you check a specific 940 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 22,890 complaints from 940 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 545 complaints from 940 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.