971 Area Code Scam Report
Area Code 971
The 971 area code covers Area Code 971 and ranks #244 out of all U.S. area codes for scam call complaints. The FTC has logged 24,757 complaints from 12,325 unique phone numbers in the 971 prefix. The FCC independently recorded another 807 complaints, meaning people are reporting these numbers to multiple federal agencies.
But here is what makes 971 distinctive: 60.8% of victims are Oregon residents, and 17% of victims have a 971 number themselves. This is a textbook neighbor spoofing pattern. Scammers fake a 971 caller ID because people in the Oregon 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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971 Area Code at a Glance
24,757
2 per number avg
807
independent federal source
60.8%
target Oregon residents
#244
of all U.S. area codes
Why Scammers Spoof 971 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 971 because it is a large, recognizable Oregon area code. When your phone rings and shows a 971 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 971 numbers:
- 60.8% of victims are in Oregon, confirming local targeting
- 17% of victims have a 971 number themselves, meaning scammers match the victim's own area code
- The remaining 39% of complaints come from all 50 states, showing these numbers also appear in broader campaigns
What 971 Scam Calls Are About
Not all 971 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 83.1%, meaning 8 out of 10 calls are robots. Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) follows at 72.4%. If your phone rings from a 971 number and you hear a recorded message about debt, tech support, or a government agency, it is almost certainly spoofed.
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
2,130 complaints
67.7%
robocall rate
Warranties & protection plans
1,538 complaints
83.1%
robocall rate
Medical & prescriptions
1,402 complaints
49.5%
robocall rate
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
1,385 complaints
72.4%
robocall rate
Vacation & timeshares
528 complaints
34.7%
robocall rate
Home improvement & cleaning
363 complaints
27.3%
robocall rate
Most Reported 971 Numbers
These 971 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 971 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 971 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 Oregon Scam Call Cluster
971 does not exist in isolation. The entire Oregon metro shares five area codes, and scammers rotate through all of them. Combined, these codes account for 24,757 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 60.8%. 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 971 number on ScamVerify™, we cross-reference these sources in real time along with carrier intelligence and community reports.
- FTC Do Not Call Registry - 24,757 complaints from 971 numbers. Consumers file these when they receive unwanted calls, especially from numbers on the Do Not Call list.
- FCC Consumer Complaints - 807 complaints from 971 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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