Key Findings
New York is the nation's debt reduction robocall capital. ScamVerify™ analysis of 9.7 million FTC phone complaint records reveals 640,949 complaints from 252,869 unique scam numbers across 20 New York area codes. The state ranks 3rd nationally in total volume behind California (934,847) and Texas (713,748).
What makes New York unique is the overwhelming dominance of a single scam type: debt reduction robocalls account for 160,885 complaints at a 90.7% robocall rate, more than double the second-place category (impersonation at 61,011). No other top-5 state has a single scam type this dominant. New York also has the starkest geographic divide in the country: Upstate area codes (315 Syracuse, 518 Albany, 607 Binghamton) are exploited for nationwide spoofing campaigns with in-state targeting as low as 16.5%, while NYC area codes (718, 212) primarily target local residents at 82% in-state rates.
All 20 New York Area Codes: Ranked by Complaints
| Rank | Area Code | Region | Numbers | Complaints | Per # | In-State % | Nat'l Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 315 | Syracuse | 27,442 | 72,672 | 2.6 | 35.3% | #8 |
| 2 | 518 | Albany | 26,055 | 63,812 | 2.4 | 36.0% | #10 |
| 3 | 516 | Long Island (Nassau) | 20,402 | 55,101 | 2.7 | 50.0% | #13 |
| 4 | 716 | Buffalo | 16,853 | 42,175 | 2.5 | 42.2% | #47 |
| 5 | 631 | Long Island (Suffolk) | 16,473 | 39,811 | 2.4 | 61.9% | #68 |
| 6 | 585 | Rochester | 14,975 | 37,567 | 2.5 | 45.4% | #79 |
| 7 | 845 | Hudson Valley | 14,641 | 36,135 | 2.5 | 42.9% | #88 |
| 8 | 607 | Binghamton | 14,319 | 35,093 | 2.5 | 34.8% | #95 |
| 9 | 718 | Brooklyn/Queens | 13,484 | 31,806 | 2.4 | 82.0% | #122 |
| 10 | 917 | NYC | 11,226 | 30,098 | 2.7 | 51.7% | #135 |
| 11 | 347 | NYC | 11,335 | 29,162 | 2.6 | 58.2% | #145 |
| 12 | 929 | NYC | 11,096 | 27,623 | 2.5 | 33.9% | #160 |
| 13 | 914 | Westchester | 10,126 | 26,452 | 2.6 | 54.8% | #168 |
| 14 | 646 | Manhattan | 9,240 | 26,120 | 2.8 | 45.4% | #171 |
| 15 | 680 | Syracuse (overlay) | 9,057 | 21,469 | 2.4 | 16.5% | #206 |
| 16 | 838 | Albany (overlay) | 7,131 | 17,239 | 2.4 | 19.9% | #244 |
| 17 | 212 | Manhattan | 5,673 | 14,320 | 2.5 | 64.0% | #265 |
| 18 | 332 | NYC | 4,384 | 12,744 | 2.9 | 37.2% | #280 |
| 19 | 934 | Long Island (overlay) | 4,951 | 12,177 | 2.5 | 22.0% | #283 |
| 20 | 645 | NYC | 4,006 | 9,373 | 2.3 | 8.6% | #305 |
| Total | 252,869 | 640,949 | 2.5 avg | 42.1% avg |
The Upstate Spoofing Machine
New York's most striking pattern is the divide between Upstate and Downstate. The top two area codes by complaint volume are not from New York City. They are from Syracuse and Albany.
| Area Code | Region | Complaints | Debt Reduction | Debt Robocall % | In-State % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 315 | Syracuse | 72,672 | 26,023 | 92.5% | 35.3% |
| 518 | Albany | 63,812 | 23,003 | 92.7% | 36.0% |
| 607 | Binghamton | 35,093 | 12,817 | 93.1% | 34.8% |
| 585 | Rochester | 37,567 | 11,672 | 93.2% | 45.4% |
| 716 | Buffalo | 42,175 | 11,260 | 90.8% | 42.2% |
| Upstate Total | 251,319 | 84,775 | 92.4% avg | 38.7% avg |
Five Upstate area codes combine for 251,319 complaints with 84,775 debt reduction robocalls averaging a 92.4% robocall rate. The in-state targeting rate across Upstate is just 38.7%, meaning over 60% of complaints come from people outside New York receiving calls spoofed with Upstate area codes. ScamVerify's deep dive on area code 315 identified concentrated scam ring blocks in 315-208 and 315-215 responsible for thousands of complaints.
The overlay codes amplify this pattern. Area code 680 (Syracuse overlay) has a 16.5% in-state rate, and 838 (Albany overlay) has just 19.9%. Over 80% of their scam traffic targets recipients outside New York.
New York City: Eight Codes, One Target
NYC has the densest area code concentration in the United States, with eight area codes serving 8.3 million residents.
| Area Code | Coverage | Complaints | In-State % | Top Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 718 | Brooklyn/Queens/Bronx | 31,806 | 82.0% | Impersonation (6,568) |
| 917 | All boroughs | 30,098 | 51.7% | Impersonation (3,984) |
| 347 | All boroughs | 29,162 | 58.2% | Debt reduction (3,463) |
| 929 | All boroughs | 27,623 | 33.9% | Debt reduction (5,772) |
| 646 | Manhattan | 26,120 | 45.4% | Impersonation (3,531) |
| 212 | Manhattan | 14,320 | 64.0% | Impersonation (2,165) |
| 332 | All boroughs | 12,744 | 37.2% | Debt reduction (1,528) |
| 645 | All boroughs | 9,373 | 8.6% | Debt reduction (5,391) |
| NYC Total | 181,246 |
The established area code 718 (Brooklyn/Queens/Bronx, original 1984) has the highest in-state targeting at 82%, dominated by impersonation scams (6,568 complaints). Government impersonation is especially prevalent in 718, where scammers exploit NYC's linguistic diversity. Chinese consulate impersonation scams target Flushing (Queens) and Sunset Park (Brooklyn). IRS and immigration scams target communities across all boroughs.
The newest overlay codes (645 and 332) show the opposite pattern: 645 has just 8.6% in-state targeting with debt reduction comprising 57.5% of complaints. These newer codes are being used almost exclusively for out-of-state robocall campaigns.
Debt Reduction: New York's Dominant Scam
| Rank | Scam Category | Complaints | Robocall % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Debt reduction | 160,885 | 90.7% |
| 2 | Government/business impersonation | 61,011 | 66.8% |
| 3 | Medical and prescriptions | 34,171 | 47.8% |
| 4 | Lotteries, prizes, and sweepstakes | 10,917 | 53.3% |
| 5 | Warranties and protection plans | 8,226 | 60.7% |
| 6 | Energy, solar, and utilities | 8,191 | 58.8% |
| 7 | Tech support | 3,411 | 54.4% |
Debt reduction robocalls account for 25.1% of all New York complaints at a staggering 90.7% robocall rate, the highest of any category in any top-5 state. By comparison, California's #1 category (impersonation) has a 67.1% robocall rate, and Ohio's #1 (medical) has 57.7%.
Lottery and sweepstakes scams rank unusually high in New York at #4 with 10,917 complaints. Long Island's 516 area code alone has 3,328 lottery/sweepstakes complaints, making it the top area code for this scam type in the state. New York's established lottery culture and high population density likely contribute to this elevated ranking.
Top 10 Most Reported New York Phone Numbers
| Rank | Phone Number | Complaints | Primary Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (934) 947-9605 | 427 | Debt reduction (65.8%) |
| 2 | (585) 266-2596 | 380 | Robocaller (dropped calls) |
| 3 | (585) 767-6102 | 312 | Debt reduction (70.5%) |
| 4 | (917) 985-3976 | 194 | Mixed |
| 5 | (914) 825-5589 | 178 | Robocaller (dropped calls) |
| 6 | (934) 949-9294 | 172 | Debt reduction (67.4%) |
| 7 | (646) 517-8015 | 164 | Mixed |
| 8 | (516) 825-2347 | 164 | Home improvement (98.8%) |
| 9 | (518) 267-1793 | 159 | Mixed (dropped calls) |
| 10 | (315) 208-3952 | 156 | Debt reduction (69.2%) |
Three of the top 10 numbers are dedicated debt reduction operations. (516) 825-2347 from Long Island is a single-category scam line with 162 of 164 complaints (98.8%) for home improvement, targeting the high-homeownership Nassau County market. (315) 208-3952 is part of the 315-208 scam ring identified in ScamVerify's Syracuse analysis.
New York vs. Other States
| State | Area Codes | Scam Numbers | FTC Complaints | In-State % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 33 | 366,832 | 934,847 | 71.0% |
| Texas | 27 | 282,021 | 713,748 | 70.7% |
| New York | 20 | 252,869 | 640,949 | 42.1% |
| Florida | 18 | 237,504 | 622,746 | 68.0% |
| Ohio | 12 | 165,727 | 424,094 | 72.1% |
New York's 42.1% average in-state targeting is dramatically lower than every other top-5 state. California averages 71%, Texas 70.7%, Ohio 72.1%, and Florida 68%. This confirms that New York area codes, particularly Upstate codes, are disproportionately used for nationwide spoofing campaigns rather than targeting New Yorkers.
AG Letitia James has been among the most active state attorneys general on robocall enforcement, participating in multistate coalitions targeting illegal robocall operators and issuing consumer alerts about AI voice cloning scams targeting New Yorkers, particularly grandparent scams using AI-generated voices.
What New Yorkers Can Do
- Check any suspicious number on ScamVerify's phone lookup before calling back. New York has 252,869 known scam numbers in our database.
- Report scam calls to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the NY AG at ag.ny.gov or 1-800-771-7755.
- Be skeptical of debt relief offers. New York's #1 scam category by far is debt reduction robocalls (160,885 complaints, 90.7% robocall rate). No legitimate debt relief company uses pre-recorded messages to solicit customers.
- Do not trust caller ID. New York's 42.1% in-state targeting rate means most NY area code scam calls are not targeting New Yorkers. Conversely, scam calls targeting you may display an Upstate NY area code regardless of where you live.
- Report Chinese consulate and immigration scams. If you receive calls claiming to be from a foreign government or immigration agency, report them to the FBI at ic3.gov in addition to the FTC.
Check this number now
Enter any U.S. phone number to check it against millions of federal complaints and real-time carrier data.
FAQ
Why do Upstate New York area codes rank so high nationally for scam calls?
Syracuse (315) ranks #8 and Albany (518) ranks #10 nationally. These Upstate codes are exploited for nationwide debt reduction robocall campaigns. The in-state targeting rate for 315 is just 35.3%, meaning nearly two-thirds of complaints come from outside New York. Scammers choose mid-market area codes like 315 and 518 because they face less carrier-level scrutiny than major metro codes while still being provisioned in bulk through VoIP providers.
What is the most common phone scam in New York?
Debt reduction robocalls dominate with 160,885 complaints at a 90.7% robocall rate, more than double the second-place category (government/business impersonation at 61,011). These calls typically promise to reduce credit card or student loan debt and are almost entirely automated. New York has a higher concentration of debt reduction scams than any other top-5 state.
Are scam calls from NYC area codes (212, 718, 347) actually from New York?
Not necessarily. Caller ID spoofing allows calls to display any area code. However, NYC area codes have higher in-state targeting rates (718 is 82%, 212 is 64%) compared to Upstate codes, suggesting a larger share of NYC-numbered scam calls do target New Yorkers. Government impersonation and lottery scams are the dominant categories for NYC area codes, while debt reduction dominates Upstate.
Why is lottery/sweepstakes scam activity so high in New York?
New York has 10,917 lottery and sweepstakes scam complaints, the #4 category statewide. Long Island's 516 area code alone has 3,328 lottery scam complaints. New York's established state lottery system and high population density of retirees on Long Island likely make lottery scam pitches more believable.
How do I report a scam call to the New York Attorney General?
File a complaint at ag.ny.gov or call 1-800-771-7755. AG Letitia James's Consumer Frauds Bureau investigates phone scam operations targeting New Yorkers. You should also report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and register on the Do Not Call Registry at DoNotCall.gov.
