Key Findings
California is the #1 state in America for phone scam volume. ScamVerify™ analysis of 9.7 million FTC phone complaint records reveals 934,847 complaints across 366,832 unique scam numbers from 33 California area codes, more area codes than any other state. California leads second-place Texas by 31% (713,748 complaints) and generates nearly 10% of all FTC phone complaints nationwide.
The biggest surprise: Stockton's 209 area code leads all of California with 57,844 complaints, ranking #11 nationally. It outperforms every Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego area code. California is also uniquely targeted by energy and solar scams (39,691 complaints), accounting for 23% of all solar/energy FTC complaints nationally despite having only 12% of the U.S. population. Greater Los Angeles dominates overall with 10 area codes generating 256,109 complaints, but the Central Valley's robocall rate (73.5%) is the highest in the state.
All 33 California Area Codes: Ranked by Complaints
| Rank | Area Code | Region | Numbers | Complaints | Per # | In-State % | Nat'l Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 209 | Stockton | 21,212 | 57,844 | 2.7 | 59.3% | #11 |
| 2 | 213 | Los Angeles | 15,897 | 44,669 | 2.8 | 64.7% | #36 |
| 3 | 949 | Irvine | 14,817 | 40,068 | 2.7 | 64.0% | #66 |
| 4 | 818 | San Fernando Valley | 16,175 | 38,448 | 2.4 | 81.2% | #75 |
| 5 | 310 | West LA | 14,611 | 37,540 | 2.6 | 82.3% | #80 |
| 6 | 909 | Inland Empire | 14,326 | 35,500 | 2.5 | 78.3% | #92 |
| 7 | 707 | North Bay | 14,313 | 35,490 | 2.5 | 67.9% | #93 |
| 8 | 805 | Ventura | 12,780 | 34,238 | 2.7 | 71.9% | #102 |
| 9 | 530 | Northern CA | 14,100 | 33,069 | 2.3 | 68.2% | #107 |
| 10 | 916 | Sacramento | 12,788 | 32,899 | 2.6 | 81.2% | #111 |
| 11 | 323 | Los Angeles | 13,065 | 32,818 | 2.5 | 76.9% | #112 |
| 12 | 925 | East Bay | 13,819 | 31,979 | 2.3 | 85.6% | #118 |
| 13 | 626 | Pasadena | 11,906 | 31,673 | 2.7 | 73.3% | #123 |
| 14 | 510 | Oakland | 13,134 | 31,666 | 2.4 | 79.1% | #124 |
| 15 | 760 | North San Diego | 12,736 | 31,531 | 2.5 | 74.0% | #125 |
| 16 | 714 | Orange County | 11,939 | 30,814 | 2.6 | 82.4% | #129 |
| 17 | 951 | Riverside | 11,859 | 30,408 | 2.6 | 77.8% | #131 |
| 18 | 562 | Long Beach | 11,454 | 29,731 | 2.6 | 80.4% | #137 |
| 19 | 619 | San Diego | 11,433 | 29,590 | 2.6 | 70.5% | #138 |
| 20 | 415 | San Francisco | 11,583 | 28,968 | 2.5 | 66.3% | #147 |
| 21 | 559 | Fresno | 11,753 | 27,909 | 2.4 | 77.2% | #157 |
| 22 | 661 | Bakersfield | 10,735 | 27,246 | 2.5 | 75.5% | #161 |
| 23 | 408 | San Jose | 11,148 | 26,978 | 2.4 | 75.4% | #163 |
| 24 | 650 | San Mateo | 10,158 | 26,259 | 2.6 | 70.2% | #170 |
| 25 | 424 | West LA | 10,188 | 25,984 | 2.6 | 67.6% | #174 |
| 26 | 858 | San Diego | 7,788 | 20,526 | 2.6 | 66.2% | #213 |
| 27 | 747 | San Fernando Valley | 5,818 | 15,246 | 2.6 | 71.7% | #257 |
| 28 | 657 | Anaheim | 5,746 | 14,875 | 2.6 | 69.1% | #261 |
| 29 | 442 | Oceanside | 4,914 | 12,402 | 2.5 | 52.6% | #282 |
| 30 | 831 | Monterey | 4,915 | 11,998 | 2.4 | 66.9% | #286 |
| 31 | 628 | San Francisco | 3,633 | 9,964 | 2.7 | 47.4% | #302 |
| 32 | 669 | San Jose | 3,152 | 8,873 | 2.8 | 60.0% | #308 |
| 33 | 279 | Sacramento | 2,937 | 7,644 | 2.6 | 58.4% | #314 |
| Total | 366,832 | 934,847 | 2.6 avg | 71.0% avg |
All 33 California area codes rank in the national top 315 for complaint volume.
Greater Los Angeles: 10 Area Codes, 256,109 Complaints
The Greater LA metro area has more area codes than most entire states. Together, they form the largest concentration of scam call activity in the country.
| Area Code | Coverage | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 213 | Downtown LA | 44,669 |
| 818 | San Fernando Valley | 38,448 |
| 310 | West LA / Santa Monica | 37,540 |
| 323 | Central LA | 32,818 |
| 626 | Pasadena / San Gabriel | 31,673 |
| 562 | Long Beach | 29,731 |
| 424 | West LA (overlay) | 25,984 |
| 747 | San Fernando Valley (overlay) | 15,246 |
| LA Metro Total | 256,109 |
Greater LA generates 27.4% of all California complaints from just 8 of 33 area codes. The 310 (West LA) and 818 (San Fernando Valley) area codes have the highest in-state targeting in the LA metro at 82.3% and 81.2% respectively, making them the most effective for neighbor spoofing against LA residents.
Energy and solar scams are particularly concentrated in the LA metro. The 818 (San Fernando Valley) area code has 3,860 energy/solar complaints, making it the #1 area code for solar scam activity in California. Home improvement scams also rank unusually high across LA area codes (23,017 statewide), driven by the region's large homeowner population.
The Stockton Surprise: Area Code 209
The data reveals an unexpected finding. Area code 209 (Stockton/Modesto) leads all of California with 57,844 FTC complaints from 21,212 unique scam numbers, ranking #11 nationally among all U.S. area codes. It surpasses every LA area code (213 at #36), every Bay Area code (415 at #147), and every San Diego code (619 at #138).
| Metric | 209 (Stockton) | 213 (LA) | 415 (SF) | 619 (San Diego) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complaints | 57,844 | 44,669 | 28,968 | 29,590 |
| National Rank | #11 | #36 | #147 | #138 |
| Per Number | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.6 |
| In-State % | 59.3% | 64.7% | 66.3% | 70.5% |
Stockton's 59.3% in-state rate is among the lowest in California. Over 40% of complaints come from recipients outside California, indicating 209 numbers are being spoofed for nationwide campaigns. The top individual 209 number, (209) 655-4105, has 531 complaints, with 385 (72.5%) for debt reduction robocalls.
The Central Valley pattern extends beyond Stockton. Fresno (559) and Bakersfield (661) together add another 55,155 complaints, giving the Central Valley region 112,999 total. The region's robocall rate of 73.5% is the highest in California and well above the state average.
San Francisco Bay Area: Seven Codes, 164,687 Complaints
The Bay Area's seven area codes form California's second-largest scam cluster.
| Area Code | Coverage | Complaints | In-State % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 925 | East Bay (Walnut Creek) | 31,979 | 85.6% |
| 510 | Oakland | 31,666 | 79.1% |
| 415 | San Francisco | 28,968 | 66.3% |
| 408 | San Jose | 26,978 | 75.4% |
| 650 | San Mateo / Peninsula | 26,259 | 70.2% |
| 628 | San Francisco (overlay) | 9,964 | 47.4% |
| 669 | San Jose (overlay) | 8,873 | 60.0% |
| Bay Area Total | 164,687 |
The East Bay's 925 area code has the highest in-state targeting in the entire Bay Area at 85.6%, the second-highest in all of California after 925. Government/business impersonation is the top category in San Jose (408) with 3,751 complaints. Scammers use Silicon Valley area codes (408, 650, 669) to impersonate tech companies. In September 2025, Google warned about phishing scams spoofing their own Mountain View number (650) 206-5555, which has 242 FTC complaints in our database.
The overlay codes (628 and 669) have the lowest in-state targeting in the Bay Area at 47.4% and 60.0%, indicating they are more heavily used for out-of-state spoofing campaigns.
California's Solar Scam Problem
California has a scam category that barely registers in most other states: energy, solar, and utility scams with 39,691 FTC complaints statewide. This accounts for 23% of all energy/solar complaints in the FTC database despite California having 12% of the U.S. population.
| Rank | Scam Category | Complaints | Robocall % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government/business impersonation | 88,526 | 67.1% |
| 2 | Debt reduction | 63,132 | 73.5% |
| 3 | Medical and prescriptions | 42,712 | 55.2% |
| 4 | Energy, solar, and utilities | 39,691 | 69.4% |
| 5 | Home improvement and cleaning | 23,017 | 37.7% |
| 6 | Warranties and protection plans | 16,954 | 81.3% |
| 7 | Tech support | 6,639 | 54.8% |
| 8 | Vacation and timeshares | 5,379 | 33.9% |
Solar scams are driven by California's position as the nation's largest residential solar market. The FTC issued a specific consumer alert in August 2024 warning about solar and clean energy scams. Common tactics include calls claiming to represent utility companies or government solar incentive programs, promising "free solar panels" that lock homeowners into unfavorable contracts.
PG&E reported 24,000 scam reports and $301,000 in customer losses during 2025 alone. Southern California Edison logged 1,750 fraud complaints with $131,464 stolen. The 69.4% robocall rate for energy/solar scams indicates a mix of automated dialing and live-operator follow-up calls.
Top 10 Most Reported California Phone Numbers
| Rank | Phone Number | Complaints | Primary Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (805) 203-1460 | 1,127 | Debt reduction, impersonation |
| 2 | (805) 637-7243 | 885 | Debt reduction, impersonation |
| 3 | (949) 200-3125 | 594 | Debt reduction, work from home |
| 4 | (209) 655-4105 | 531 | Debt reduction (72.5%) |
| 5 | (323) 487-7932 | 342 | Mixed (energy, impersonation) |
| 6 | (949) 522-7829 | 321 | Debt reduction (100%) |
| 7 | (279) 242-5425 | 303 | Impersonation |
| 8 | (209) 348-5886 | 292 | Debt reduction |
| 9 | (949) 384-0255 | 278 | Debt reduction |
| 10 | (669) 369-0788 | 269 | Mixed |
The Ventura County numbers stand out. (805) 203-1460 leads the entire state with 1,127 complaints, nearly double the #2 number. Both top numbers use the 805 (Ventura) area code and focus on debt reduction and impersonation scams. Three of the top 10 use the 949 (Irvine/Orange County) area code, and (949) 522-7829 has a 100% debt reduction complaint rate across all 321 reports.
Neighbor Spoofing: How California's 33 Codes Get Exploited
California's 33 area codes average 71% in-state targeting, meaning seven out of ten scam calls from California numbers reach California residents. But the rate varies dramatically.
| Highest In-State | % | Lowest In-State | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 925 East Bay | 85.6% | 628 SF overlay | 47.4% |
| 714 Orange County | 82.4% | 442 Oceanside | 52.6% |
| 310 West LA | 82.3% | 279 Sacramento overlay | 58.4% |
| 818 San Fernando Valley | 81.2% | 209 Stockton | 59.3% |
| 916 Sacramento | 81.2% | 669 San Jose overlay | 60.0% |
Established area codes with strong local identity (925, 714, 310, 818, 916) have the highest in-state targeting. Newer overlay codes (628, 442, 279, 669) and Central Valley codes (209) have the lowest, confirming they are disproportionately used for out-of-state spoofing. The 628 area code (San Francisco overlay, active since 2015) has just 47.4% in-state targeting, meaning more than half of its scam calls reach recipients outside California.
California vs. Other States
| State | Area Codes | Scam Numbers | FTC Complaints | Per Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 33 | 366,832 | 934,847 | 2.6 |
| Texas | 27 | 282,021 | 713,748 | 2.5 |
| New York | 20 | 252,869 | 640,949 | 2.5 |
| Florida | 18 | 237,504 | 622,746 | 2.6 |
| Ohio | 12 | 165,727 | 424,094 | 2.6 |
California generates 31% more complaints than Texas and 50% more than New York, while having 22% and 65% more area codes respectively. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center ranked California #1 nationally in 2024 with 96,265 complaints and $2.54 billion in reported losses. California seniors alone accounted for over $800 million in fraud losses, the most of any state.
In response, the California Legislature introduced AB-995 in 2025, which requires the California Department of Justice to establish and maintain a public database of known phone scams by January 1, 2027. The bill, supported by the California Bankers Association and California Credit Union League, mandates monthly updates, a searchable interface, and annual reports to the Legislature. Attorney General Rob Bonta has also pursued enforcement through "Operation Robocall Roundup," which has resulted in 13 companies being removed from the FCC's Robocall Mitigation Database.
What Californians Can Do
- Check any suspicious number on ScamVerify's phone lookup before calling back. California has 366,832 known scam numbers in our database.
- Report scam calls to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the California AG at oag.ca.gov.
- Be skeptical of solar and energy calls. PG&E and SCE confirm they never threaten service disconnection by phone, and neither sends representatives to sell solar panels. The FTC warns to ignore calls offering "free solar" from government programs.
- Treat calls from your own area code with suspicion. With 33 area codes, California gives scammers extensive options for neighbor spoofing. A call from your local area code is not more trustworthy than any other.
- Use Governor Newsom's privacy tool. In January 2026, California launched a first-in-the-nation tool allowing residents to block the sale of their personal data, reducing the pipeline that feeds scammers phone numbers.
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FAQ
Is California the #1 state for phone scams?
Yes, by total volume. California leads all states with 934,847 FTC phone complaints from 366,832 unique scam numbers across 33 area codes. The FBI's IC3 also ranked California #1 in 2024 with $2.54 billion in reported fraud losses. However, California does not rank in the top 5 per capita for fraud. Florida, Georgia, and Delaware lead in per-capita rates. California's total volume is driven primarily by its 39 million population, the largest in the nation.
Why does Stockton (area code 209) lead California in scam calls instead of Los Angeles or San Francisco?
Area code 209 (Stockton/Modesto) has 57,844 complaints, more than any single LA or SF area code. Two factors explain this. First, 209's low in-state targeting rate (59.3%) means it is being spoofed for nationwide campaigns, not just targeting Central Valley residents. Second, debt reduction robocalls (7,377 complaints with an 81.3% robocall rate) dominate 209, suggesting concentrated automated operations using Stockton numbers. Los Angeles has more total complaints but they are spread across 10 area codes, diluting each one's individual ranking.
Why are solar and energy scams so high in California?
California has 39,691 energy and solar FTC complaints, 23% of the national total. Three factors drive this. First, California is the nation's #1 residential solar market, making solar offers plausible. Second, high electricity costs (50% or more above the national average) make consumers receptive to promises of savings. Third, PG&E and SCE together reported 25,750 scam reports in 2025 alone. Scammers exploit California's clean energy incentive programs, claiming to represent utilities or government solar rebate programs.
What types of scams target Californians the most?
Government and business impersonation leads with 88,526 complaints (67.1% robocall rate), followed by debt reduction at 63,132, medical and prescriptions at 42,712, and energy/solar/utilities at 39,691. California is unique in having energy/solar as a top-4 category. Nationally, this category ranks much lower. Tech support scams (6,639 complaints) are also elevated in Silicon Valley area codes (408, 650), where scammers impersonate companies like Google and Apple using local numbers.
What is California doing to fight phone scams?
California has three active initiatives. First, AB-995 (introduced 2025) requires the California DOJ to create a searchable public database of known phone scams by January 1, 2027, with monthly updates and annual reports to the Legislature. Second, AG Rob Bonta launched "Operation Robocall Roundup" with 51 attorneys general, sending warnings to 37 voice service providers and resulting in 13 companies being disconnected from the U.S. phone network. Third, Governor Newsom announced a first-in-the-nation privacy tool in January 2026 allowing Californians to block the sale of their personal data.
