Key Findings
Missouri ranks #7 nationally for unwanted calls and received 55 million+ fraudulent calls and texts in a single month (September 2025, Spectrum News). ScamVerify™ analysis of 9.7 million FTC phone complaint records reveals 149,228 complaints from 60,811 unique scam numbers across 6 Missouri area codes. Spam calls in the state increased 69.23% year over year and robocalls grew 11.24% from 2023 to 2024 (WhistleOut data). Missouri residents lost $139.3 million to fraud in 2024 with a median loss of $400 per victim.
Medical scams lead statewide at 19,768 complaints, the #1 category. AG Catherine Hanaway is co-leading Operation Robocall Roundup Phase 2, targeting the four largest voice service providers in the country: Inteliquent, Bandwidth, Lumen, and Peerless. Lumen alone transmitted 886.2 million SSA/IRS impersonation calls. Phase 1 resulted in 13 companies removed from the FCC's Robocall Mitigation Database and 19 companies that stopped appearing in call tracebacks. Missouri's No-Call category was the #1 consumer complaint for the 5th consecutive year (33,600+ complaints), and the AG's office received a record 104,000+ total complaints and inquiries in 2025. A pending bill (HB 564) would make Missouri one of the first states allowing private citizens to sue over caller ID spoofing.
All 6 Missouri Area Codes: Ranked by Complaints
| Rank | Area Code | Region | Numbers | Complaints | Per # | In-State % | Nat'l Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 314 | St. Louis | 18,734 | 47,561 | 2.5 | 59.3% | #44 |
| 2 | 816 | Kansas City | 12,872 | 31,196 | 2.4 | 67.9% | #154 |
| 3 | 417 | Springfield | 9,139 | 21,701 | 2.4 | 67.6% | #216 |
| 4 | 573 | Jefferson City / Columbia | 8,898 | 21,146 | 2.4 | 60.9% | #221 |
| 5 | 636 | West St. Louis suburbs | 7,331 | 18,274 | 2.5 | 63.6% | #245 |
| 6 | 660 | Northern Missouri | 3,837 | 9,350 | 2.4 | 58.6% | #309 |
| Total | 60,811 | 149,228 | 2.4 avg | 63.0% avg |
St. Louis (314) dominates with 47,561 complaints at national rank #44, generating 31.9% of all Missouri scam activity. The St. Louis metro (combining 314 and 636) totals 65,835 complaints from 26,065 scam numbers.
St. Louis: Missouri's Scam Capital
The St. Louis metro is served by two area codes with the 557 overlay added in August 2022.
| Area Code | Coverage | Complaints | In-State % | #1 Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 314 | St. Louis city / inner ring | 47,561 | 59.3% | Medical (4,614) |
| 636 | West suburbs (Chesterfield, Wildwood) | 18,274 | 63.6% | Medical (2,111) |
| St. Louis Metro | 65,835 |
The 314 area code has the lowest in-state targeting in Missouri at 59.3%, with debt reduction at 4,521 complaints (82.8% robocall rate) as the #2 category. This dual-threat profile (medical #1, debt #2 with high automation) mirrors the pattern seen in 502 Louisville and 518 Albany where mid-market area codes are exploited for nationwide campaigns.
St. Louis Police are considering tracking AI-driven scams as a separate crime category. A St. Louis County man was targeted by an AI clone of his daughter's voice demanding emergency money (KSDK). In March 2026, fake traffic violation texts with QR codes mimicked St. Louis County Court documents, complete with a fabricated clerk named "John Smith" and a fraudulent court seal.
Kansas City: Medical Scam Hotspot
Kansas City's 816 has a distinctive scam profile dominated by medical and prescription fraud.
| Metric | 816 Kansas City | 314 St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints | 31,196 | 47,561 |
| #1 Category | Medical (5,694) | Medical (4,614) |
| Medical Robocall % | 74.6% | 53.1% |
| In-State % | 67.9% | 59.3% |
Kansas City has the highest medical robocall rate in Missouri at 74.6%, meaning three-quarters of medical scam calls from 816 numbers are automated. This is significantly higher than St. Louis's 53.1% and suggests a more heavily automated Medicare/prescription scam operation targeting the KC metro.
In April 2026, the Kansas City metro was hit by a fake court text scam flooding phones with fraudulent traffic violation notices. The 16th Judicial Circuit issued a press release confirming the scam. Separately, Homeland Security number spoofing targeted the KC area, and MoDOT text scams claimed fake traffic tickets.
Missouri's Scam Category Profile
| Rank | Scam Category | Complaints | Robocall % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical and prescriptions | 19,768 | 59.3% |
| 2 | Government/business impersonation | 12,399 | 63.0% |
| 3 | Debt reduction | 9,842 | 74.4% |
| 4 | Warranties and protection plans | 2,152 | 54.0% |
| 5 | Home improvement and cleaning | 1,906 | 21.9% |
| 6 | Charities | 1,554 | 48.3% |
| 7 | Energy, solar, and utilities | 1,315 | 52.1% |
| 8 | Vacation and timeshares | 1,106 | 28.0% |
Medical scams lead by 59% over impersonation (19,768 vs. 12,399). Home improvement ranks #5 with 1,906 complaints at just 21.9% robocall rate, the lowest of any top category, meaning nearly all home improvement scam calls in Missouri use live operators.
Vacation and timeshare scams rank #8 with 1,106 complaints at 28.0% robocall rate. This is elevated for a non-tourism state, concentrated in 417 Springfield (203 complaints) and 314 St. Louis.
The Ameren Solar Scam
Ameren Missouri issued a public warning in September 2025 about a new scam: callers and door-to-door solicitors claiming to represent Ameren, offering discounted solar panel installation. A renewed wave hit in March 2026 with callers in the Dexter area threatening service disconnection.
Evergy (serving the Kansas City metro) has a separate ongoing utility scam pattern. Scammers cloned Evergy's service number (888-471-5275) so callbacks reach scammers, not Evergy. They demand prepaid card or peer-to-peer app payments for alleged overdue bills.
| Utility | Scam Type | Report To |
|---|---|---|
| Ameren Missouri | Solar installation impersonation, disconnection threats | 1-800-552-7583 |
| Evergy | Cloned service number, disconnection threats | evergy.com/scams |
Neither utility threatens immediate disconnection by phone or demands payment through prepaid cards.
Top 10 Most Reported Missouri Phone Numbers
| Rank | Phone Number | Complaints | Primary Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (314) 281-9488 | 292 | Mixed (energy, home improvement) |
| 2 | (314) 880-7703 | 181 | Medical (94, 51.9%) |
| 3 | (314) 380-2165 | 176 | Mixed |
| 4 | (314) 888-6257 | 125 | Impersonation (45), mixed |
| 5 | (314) 470-4753 | 115 | Robocaller (92%), dropped calls |
| 6 | (660) 570-7964 | 107 | Mixed |
| 7 | (314) 794-0942 | 102 | Mixed (charities) |
| 8 | (636) 875-1228 | 99 | Warranties (44, 44.4%) |
| 9 | (636) 875-5585 | 99 | Warranties (64, 64.6%) |
| 10 | (636) 524-0622 | 90 | Tech support (100%) |
Six of the top 10 numbers use the 314 (St. Louis) area code, confirming the city's dominance in Missouri's scam landscape. (636) 875-1228 and (636) 875-5585 form a sequential pair from the St. Louis suburbs with 198 combined complaints focused on warranty scams. (636) 524-0622 is a dedicated tech support scam line with 100% of its 90 complaints in that single category.
HB 564: The Right to Sue Over Spoofed Calls
Missouri Rep. Mitch Boggs introduced HB 564, the Caller ID Anti-Spoofing Act, which would allow private citizens to sue over caller ID spoofing. If passed, Missouri would be one of the first states giving consumers a private right of action against spoofing. The bill is currently in the House Utilities committee.
This builds on the existing enforcement framework from Operation Robocall Roundup, which has targeted the infrastructure carrying illegal calls rather than individual scammers.
Neighbor Spoofing Analysis
| Highest In-State | % | Lowest In-State | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 816 Kansas City | 67.9% | 920 Green Bay | 56.7% |
| 417 Springfield | 67.6% | 660 Northern MO | 58.6% |
| 636 St. Louis suburbs | 63.6% | 314 St. Louis | 59.3% |
Missouri's statewide average of 63.0% in-state targeting is among the lowest in our series, below even Colorado (62.1%). The 314 St. Louis area code's 59.3% in-state rate confirms significant out-of-state campaign usage. Kansas City (816) has the highest in-state targeting at 67.9%, indicating it is primarily used for neighbor spoofing against Missouri residents.
Missouri vs. Other States
| State | Area Codes | Complaints | Unique Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 5 | 154,317 | New $10K spoofing law |
| Missouri | 6 | 149,228 | #7 unwanted calls, HB 564 private right to sue |
| Kentucky | 5 | 147,981 | 502 is #17 nationally (debt hub) |
| Indiana | 7 | 143,882 | #1 robocall increase nationally |
Missouri's AG office processed 104,000+ complaints in 2025. The FTC ranked debt reduction as the #1 national DNC complaint category (446,243 complaints in FY 2025), and Missouri's 9,842 debt complaints contribute disproportionately to that total.
What Missourians Can Do
- Check any suspicious number on ScamVerify's phone lookup before calling back. Missouri has 60,811 known scam numbers in our database.
- Report scam calls to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the MO AG at 800-392-8222 or ago.mo.gov.
- Register on the Missouri No-Call list at 1-866-662-2551 in addition to the federal registry. Missouri enforces its own state-level Do Not Call protections.
- Verify Ameren and Evergy communications directly. Ameren: 1-800-552-7583. Evergy: evergy.com. Neither threatens disconnection by phone or sends representatives to sell solar panels.
- Do not click QR codes in court text messages. The 16th Judicial Circuit confirmed that fake traffic violation texts with QR codes flooded KC area phones in April 2026. Missouri courts never collect fines by text.
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FAQ
How many scam calls does Missouri get?
Missouri ranks #7 nationally for unwanted calls and received 55 million+ fraudulent calls and texts in a single month (September 2025). ScamVerify's database contains 149,228 FTC complaints from 60,811 unique scam numbers across 6 area codes. The AG's office received a record 104,000+ total complaints in 2025, with No-Call as the #1 category for the 5th consecutive year (33,600+). Missouri residents lost $139.3 million to fraud in 2024.
Can I sue over spoofed calls in Missouri?
Not yet, but it may be coming. HB 564 (the Caller ID Anti-Spoofing Act) would make Missouri one of the first states allowing private citizens to sue over caller ID spoofing. The bill was introduced by Rep. Mitch Boggs and is currently in the House Utilities committee. Under current law, enforcement falls to the AG's office and federal regulators.
What is Operation Robocall Roundup?
A 51-state AG coalition enforcement action co-led by Missouri AG Catherine Hanaway. Phase 1 (August 2025) sent warning letters to 37 telecom companies and 99 downstream providers, resulting in 13 companies removed from the FCC's Robocall Mitigation Database and 19 that stopped appearing in tracebacks. Phase 2 (December 2025) is investigating Inteliquent, Bandwidth, Lumen, and Peerless for facilitating 3.4 billion scam calls since 2020.
What types of scams are most common in Missouri?
Medical and prescriptions lead with 19,768 complaints (59.3% robocall rate), followed by government/business impersonation at 12,399 (63.0%) and debt reduction at 9,842 (74.4%). Utility scams involving Ameren (solar impersonation) and Evergy (cloned service number) are active statewide. KC's medical robocall rate (74.6%) is the highest of any Missouri area code.
How do I report a scam call in Missouri?
Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the Missouri AG at 800-392-8222 or ago.mo.gov. Register on Missouri's No-Call list at 1-866-662-2551. For utility scams, contact Ameren at 1-800-552-7583 or Evergy directly. Missouri's AG office processes 104,000+ complaints annually and uses consumer reports to support enforcement under Operation Robocall Roundup.
