Key Findings
Ohio punches far above its weight in phone scam activity. ScamVerify™ analysis of 9.7 million FTC phone complaint records reveals 424,094 complaints from 165,727 unique scam numbers across 12 Ohio area codes. The state ranks 5th nationally in total volume but #2 per capita for Do Not Call complaints (921 per 100,000 residents, FTC FY 2024), and a separate Textla/FTC+FCC study ranked Ohio #1 in the nation for combined spam calls and texts.
Three Ohio area codes rank in the national top 25: Columbus (614) at #9, Cincinnati (513) at #16, and Cleveland (216) at #17. No other mid-size state has this level of concentration. Medical and prescription scams are Ohio's #1 category with 42,161 complaints, 37% more than impersonation scams. In Cuyahoga County alone, scam victims lost an average of $33,450 each in 2025, with over $5 million in total losses from 1,300+ reports.
All 12 Ohio Area Codes: Ranked by Complaints
| Rank | Area Code | Region | Numbers | Complaints | Per # | In-State % | Nat'l Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 614 | Columbus | 26,972 | 70,078 | 2.6 | 84.9% | #9 |
| 2 | 513 | Cincinnati | 19,459 | 52,696 | 2.7 | 74.3% | #16 |
| 3 | 216 | Cleveland | 19,924 | 52,214 | 2.6 | 67.4% | #17 |
| 4 | 330 | Akron | 18,930 | 48,046 | 2.5 | 85.6% | #24 |
| 5 | 419 | Toledo | 16,487 | 41,527 | 2.5 | 84.5% | #52 |
| 6 | 440 | Northeast Ohio | 16,479 | 39,912 | 2.4 | 78.8% | #67 |
| 7 | 937 | Dayton | 14,388 | 36,142 | 2.5 | 85.6% | #87 |
| 8 | 740 | Southeast Ohio | 12,489 | 30,369 | 2.4 | 70.6% | #132 |
| 9 | 234 | Akron (overlay) | 6,765 | 17,734 | 2.6 | 54.5% | #238 |
| 10 | 567 | Toledo (overlay) | 5,108 | 12,955 | 2.5 | 61.5% | #276 |
| 11 | 380 | Columbus (overlay) | 4,204 | 11,725 | 2.8 | 62.3% | #291 |
| 12 | 220 | Southeast Ohio (overlay) | 4,522 | 10,696 | 2.4 | 54.9% | #296 |
| Total | 165,727 | 424,094 | 2.5 avg | 72.1% avg |
The top 4 Ohio area codes all rank in the national top 25. Every established Ohio area code ranks in the top 135 nationally.
The Big Three: Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland
Ohio is unusual in having three major metro area codes clustered in the national top 25. Together they generate 41% of all Ohio scam complaints.
| City | Area Code | Complaints | National Rank | Top Scam Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 614 | 70,078 | #9 | Impersonation (6,086) |
| Cincinnati | 513 | 52,696 | #16 | Medical (6,436) |
| Cleveland | 216 | 52,214 | #17 | Debt reduction (5,290) |
| Combined | 174,988 |
Each city has a different dominant scam type. Columbus leads with government/business impersonation (6,086 complaints at 70.5% robocall rate). Cincinnati's top category is medical and prescriptions (6,436 complaints). Cleveland is dominated by debt reduction robocalls (5,290 complaints at 86.1% robocall rate, the highest of any Ohio area code). This diversity suggests multiple independent scam operations targeting different Ohio metros with different campaigns.
Medical Scams: Ohio's #1 Threat
Ohio's top scam categories reveal a state disproportionately targeted by healthcare fraud.
| Rank | Scam Category | Complaints | Robocall % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical and prescriptions | 42,161 | 57.7% |
| 2 | Government/business impersonation | 30,816 | 64.6% |
| 3 | Debt reduction | 20,671 | 76.1% |
| 4 | Energy, solar, and utilities | 8,365 | 67.6% |
| 5 | Warranties and protection plans | 4,710 | 60.7% |
| 6 | Charities | 2,416 | 53.1% |
| 7 | Home improvement and cleaning | 2,367 | 50.0% |
| 8 | Vacation and timeshares | 1,879 | 31.5% |
Medical scams lead by 37% over the second-place category, a wider gap than in any of the top 5 states. In California and Texas, impersonation scams rank first. In Florida, medical leads by 12%. In Ohio, the margin is 37%.
Seven of Ohio's 12 area codes have medical scams as their top or second-ranked category. The concentration is highest in Cincinnati (513) with 6,436 medical complaints, Dayton (937) with 5,036, Akron (330) with 5,186, and Toledo (419) with 4,582. Ohio's 18.8% population aged 65 and older (growing to 25% by 2040 per Census projections) makes the state a prime target for Medicare and prescription scams.
In January 2026, a North Ridgeville, Ohio doctor was sentenced to 64 months in federal prison for a $14.5 million Medicare fraud scheme involving telemedicine companies. He never examined patients but billed Medicare for services. Cases like this illustrate the healthcare fraud ecosystem that generates the scam calls Ohio residents receive.
Cincinnati: Ohio's Most Reported Numbers
Five of Ohio's 10 most reported phone numbers use the 513 (Cincinnati) area code.
| Rank | Phone Number | Complaints | Primary Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (513) 696-1920 | 2,129 | Impersonation |
| 2 | (513) 831-2600 | 690 | Mixed |
| 3 | (513) 860-0470 | 382 | Mixed (charities) |
| 4 | (216) 581-6556 | 284 | Medical |
| 5 | (419) 737-4004 | 264 | Medical (97.7%) |
| 6 | (614) 697-0667 | 205 | Debt reduction |
| 7 | (513) 891-6802 | 198 | Unknown |
| 8 | (937) 606-3305 | 141 | Lottery/sweepstakes (100%) |
| 9 | (513) 829-2800 | 139 | Mixed (charities) |
| 10 | (614) 707-5180 | 106 | Impersonation |
(513) 696-1920 leads all Ohio numbers with 2,129 complaints, more than 3x the #2 number. (419) 737-4004 is a dedicated medical scam line with 258 of its 264 complaints (97.7%) categorized as medical and prescriptions. (937) 606-3305 from Dayton is a pure lottery/sweepstakes scam number with a 100% single-category complaint rate. Ohio ranked #4 nationally for lottery scam losses with $34.6 million lost between 2020 and 2025.
Cuyahoga County: $33,450 Average Loss
The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs reported 1,300+ scam reports in 2025 with total losses exceeding $5 million. The average loss per victim was $33,450, one of the highest county-level averages in the country.
Top scam types in Cuyahoga County included government impersonation (fake jury duty summons, arrest threats), company impersonation, romance scams, and investment fraud. In February 2026, the FBI Cleveland field office issued a separate warning about AI-powered scams targeting Northeast Ohio, specifically voice cloning, fake documents, and deepfake videos.
Cleveland's 216 area code has the lowest in-state targeting rate (67.4%) among Ohio's established area codes. This means nearly one-third of 216 scam calls reach recipients outside Ohio, confirming that Cleveland numbers are being spoofed for nationwide campaigns. Debt reduction leads 216 complaints at 5,290 with an 86.1% robocall rate.
Neighbor Spoofing: 85% In-State for Established Codes
Ohio has some of the highest in-state targeting rates in the country. Three area codes exceed 85%.
| Highest In-State | % | Lowest In-State | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 330 Akron | 85.6% | 234 Akron overlay | 54.5% |
| 937 Dayton | 85.6% | 220 SE Ohio overlay | 54.9% |
| 614 Columbus | 84.9% | 567 Toledo overlay | 61.5% |
| 419 Toledo | 84.5% | 380 Columbus overlay | 62.3% |
The pattern is stark: established area codes average 79% in-state targeting while overlay codes average 58%. Overlay area codes (234, 567, 380, 220) were added in the 2000s and 2010s, meaning fewer Ohioans identify them as "their" area code. Scammers exploit this gap, using overlay codes for out-of-state campaigns while reserving established codes for neighbor spoofing against Ohio residents.
Ohio 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 |
Ohio generates 424,094 complaints from just 12 area codes. California needs 33 area codes to reach 934,847. On a per-area-code basis, Ohio averages 35,341 complaints per area code, the highest ratio among the top 5 states (California averages 28,329, Florida 34,597). Ohio's area codes are more heavily targeted individually than those in any larger state.
The FTC's Do Not Call Registry Data Book ranked Ohio #2 per capita in FY 2024 at 921 complaints per 100,000 residents, behind only Delaware. Attorney General Dave Yost's office permanently barred robocaller John Spiller in May 2025 after his operation placed 69 million robocalls to Ohio area codes, with over 32 million targeting numbers on the Do Not Call Registry. Ohio Senator Jon Husted co-sponsored the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, which passed the Senate Commerce Committee in October 2025.
What Ohioans Can Do
- Check any suspicious number on ScamVerify's phone lookup before calling back. Ohio has 165,727 known scam numbers in our database across all 12 area codes.
- Report scam calls to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the Ohio AG at OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.
- Be skeptical of medical and Medicare calls. Ohio's #1 scam category is medical and prescriptions with 42,161 complaints. Medicare never calls unsolicited to sell plans, and legitimate pharmacies do not cold-call with prescription offers.
- Know Ohio's anti-spoofing law. SB 235 (effective March 2022) criminalizes caller ID spoofing in Ohio with enhanced penalties when targeting elderly or disabled residents (4th-degree felony).
- Watch for lottery scams. Ohio ranks #4 nationally for lottery scam losses ($34.6M, 2020 to 2025). No legitimate lottery requires upfront payment to claim a prize.
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FAQ
Is Ohio the worst state for scam calls?
By per-capita measures, Ohio is among the worst. The FTC ranked Ohio #2 per capita for Do Not Call complaints (921 per 100,000 residents, FY 2024). A separate Textla study analyzing FTC and FCC data ranked Ohio #1 nationally for combined spam calls and texts at 859 complaints per 100,000. By total volume, Ohio ranks 5th (424,094 FTC complaints) behind California, Texas, New York, and Florida. On a per-area-code basis, Ohio has the highest average complaint count of any top-5 state (35,341 per area code).
Why do three Ohio area codes rank in the national top 25?
Columbus (614), Cincinnati (513), and Cleveland (216) rank #9, #16, and #17 nationally. Three factors drive this concentration. First, Ohio's three major metros each have their own distinct area code with strong local identity, making neighbor spoofing highly effective (84.9% in-state targeting for 614). Second, each city is targeted by a different dominant scam type: impersonation in Columbus, medical in Cincinnati, debt reduction in Cleveland. Third, Ohio's aging demographics (18.8% of the population is 65+) make it a high-value target for scammers, especially for medical and Medicare fraud.
Why are medical scams so prevalent in Ohio?
Medical and prescriptions lead Ohio's scam categories with 42,161 complaints, 37% more than impersonation scams. Ohio has the nation's 6th-largest population of adults 65 and older, projected to reach 25% of the state by 2040. Major healthcare systems like the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, and Cincinnati Children's create a legitimate medical ecosystem that scammers exploit. Medicare enrollment scams, fake prescription offers, and fraudulent health insurance calls are especially convincing when they appear to come from a local Ohio area code.
How much money do Ohioans lose to phone scams?
Multiple data points illustrate the scale. Cuyahoga County alone reported $5 million in losses from 1,300 scam reports in 2025, averaging $33,450 per victim. AARP estimated 38,000+ fraud attempts targeting Ohio residents in the first half of 2025 with $144.2 million in total losses. The FBI's IC3 reported 5,389 elder fraud victims in Ohio during 2024, with over $95 million in losses. Ohio ranks #4 nationally for lottery scam losses at $34.6 million (2020 to 2025).
What is Ohio doing to fight robocalls?
Ohio has multiple active measures. SB 235 (2022) criminalizes caller ID spoofing with enhanced penalties for targeting seniors and disabled residents. AG Dave Yost permanently barred robocaller John Spiller in May 2025 after his operation placed 69 million calls to Ohio numbers (32 million+ on the DNC list). Ohio Senator Jon Husted co-sponsored the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, which passed the Senate Commerce Committee in October 2025. It would create a DOJ task force and extend the TRACED robocall-tracing program. The FBI Cleveland office issued an AI scam warning in February 2026 specifically addressing voice cloning threats in Northeast Ohio.
