Key Findings
Virginia sits at the intersection of two scam ecosystems: military targeting and government impersonation. ScamVerify™ analysis of 9.7 million FTC phone complaint records reveals 245,565 complaints from 95,534 unique scam numbers across 7 Virginia area codes. The state ranks 12th nationally.
Virginia has the highest concentration of military installations of any state: Naval Station Norfolk (the world's largest naval base), the Pentagon, Quantico, Fort Belvoir, and Joint Base Langley-Eustis. In September 2025, 10 people were arrested for a $2 million+ Navy Federal Credit Union scam ring targeting military members in Norfolk parking lots. The northern Virginia area codes (703 and 571) overlap with the Washington, DC metro and carry elevated government impersonation complaint rates, connecting to the 202 area code spoofing pattern documented in ScamVerify's analysis. Three Virginia area codes rank in the national top 70.
All 7 Virginia Area Codes: Ranked by Complaints
| Rank | Area Code | Region | Numbers | Complaints | Per # | In-State % | Nat'l Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 804 | Richmond | 16,460 | 42,098 | 2.6 | 73.8% | #48 |
| 2 | 757 | Virginia Beach/Norfolk | 16,913 | 42,047 | 2.5 | 77.6% | #49 |
| 3 | 540 | Roanoke/Shenandoah | 15,933 | 40,793 | 2.6 | 75.1% | #60 |
| 4 | 703 | Northern Virginia | 16,141 | 39,739 | 2.5 | 75.4% | #69 |
| 5 | 571 | Northern VA (overlay) | 12,208 | 34,406 | 2.8 | 55.4% | #101 |
| 6 | 434 | Charlottesville | 9,616 | 24,648 | 2.6 | 65.6% | #185 |
| 7 | 276 | Southwest Virginia | 8,263 | 21,834 | 2.6 | 64.1% | #204 |
| Total | 95,534 | 245,565 | 2.6 avg | 69.6% avg |
Virginia's top three area codes are within 1,300 complaints of each other: Richmond (42,098), Virginia Beach (42,047), and Roanoke (40,793). This unusually tight clustering means Virginia does not have a single dominant scam epicenter like most states.
The Military Targeting Pattern
Virginia is home to more active-duty military personnel than any state except California and Texas. The FTC reported that military-connected consumers lost $584 million nationally in 2024, a 25% increase from the prior year. Veterans alone accounted for $419 million of those losses.
| Area Code | Military Installation | Complaints | Impersonation | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 757 | Naval Station Norfolk, JB Langley-Eustis | 42,047 | 2,925 | 1,005 |
| 703 | Pentagon, Fort Belvoir | 39,739 | 4,060 | 661 |
| 540 | Quantico Marine Base | 40,793 | 3,014 | 722 |
The 757 Virginia Beach/Norfolk area code has 1,005 warranty scam complaints and 515 vacation/timeshare complaints, both elevated in military areas where frequent relocations and deployments create vulnerability to high-pressure sales pitches.
In September 2025, the Navy Federal Credit Union scam ring was dismantled in Norfolk. Ten people were arrested after targeting military members in parking lots near Navy Federal branches. The scammers approached "military age males," gained access to their phones, and made unauthorized loan applications. Over 500 victims reported losses totaling more than $2 million. One defendant, Jaquan Brehon, was sentenced to 1.5 years in November 2025.
Northern Virginia: The Government Impersonation Corridor
Northern Virginia's two area codes connect directly to the Washington, DC government impersonation scam ecosystem.
| Area Code | Coverage | Complaints | In-State % | #1 Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 703 | Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria | 39,739 | 75.4% | Medical (4,745) |
| 571 | Northern VA (overlay) | 34,406 | 55.4% | Impersonation (3,217) |
| NoVA Total | 74,145 |
The 703 area code has the highest government impersonation count in Virginia at 4,060 complaints. The 571 overlay leads with impersonation as its #1 category (3,217 complaints at 49.7% robocall rate). Combined, NoVA generates 74,145 complaints.
The GSA Inspector General specifically warned about scammers spoofing real government phone numbers in Northern Virginia. Calls from 703 and 571 numbers carry implicit authority for anyone who associates those area codes with the DC federal complex.
For the full DC area code analysis including 703 and 571 context, see ScamVerify's 202 Area Code Deep Dive.
Virginia's Scam Category Profile
| Rank | Scam Category | Complaints | Robocall % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical and prescriptions | 24,127 | 55.8% |
| 2 | Government/business impersonation | 20,061 | 59.6% |
| 3 | Debt reduction | 15,192 | 70.4% |
| 4 | Warranties and protection plans | 4,415 | 56.3% |
| 5 | Charities | 2,619 | 46.4% |
| 6 | Home improvement and cleaning | 2,273 | 35.4% |
| 7 | Energy, solar, and utilities | 1,824 | 52.2% |
| 8 | Vacation and timeshares | 1,573 | 26.6% |
Medical scams lead Virginia at 24,127 complaints. Government impersonation is #2 at 20,061, a higher share than in most states, driven by the Northern Virginia DC corridor. Charities scams rank unusually high at #5 with 2,619 complaints, elevated by the 276 Southwest Virginia area code where charities account for 621 complaints (the highest per-code charity count in the state). Vacation and timeshare scams appear in Virginia Beach (757 has 515 timeshare complaints), reflecting the coastal tourism economy.
Top 10 Most Reported Virginia Phone Numbers
| Rank | Phone Number | Complaints | Primary Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (571) 416-6943 | 268 | Home improvement |
| 2 | (703) 454-0563 | 209 | Impersonation (83.3%) |
| 3 | (571) 200-1632 | 197 | Mixed |
| 4 | (757) 910-0450 | 193 | Debt reduction |
| 5 | (434) 592-4309 | 131 | Mixed |
| 6 | (804) 354-7000 | 118 | Medical, mixed |
| 7 | (571) 556-4754 | 106 | Mixed |
| 8 | (804) 322-5077 | 102 | Mixed |
| 9 | (571) 568-4376 | 102 | Mixed |
| 10 | (540) 900-8767 | 95 | Mixed |
(703) 454-0563 is a dedicated government impersonation line: 174 of 209 complaints (83.3%) are categorized as impersonation. This is consistent with the NoVA government spoofing pattern. Three of the top 10 numbers use the 571 overlay code, including #1 (571) 416-6943 with 268 complaints primarily for home improvement. (757) 910-0450 from Virginia Beach targets debt reduction.
Neighbor Spoofing: Established vs. Overlay
| Highest In-State | % | Lowest In-State | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 757 Virginia Beach | 77.6% | 571 NoVA overlay | 55.4% |
| 703 Northern VA | 75.4% | 276 Southwest VA | 64.1% |
| 540 Roanoke | 75.1% | 434 Charlottesville | 65.6% |
| 804 Richmond | 73.8% |
Virginia's established codes cluster between 73-78% in-state targeting, while the lone overlay 571 drops to 55.4%. Southwest Virginia (276) has a lower 64.1% rate despite being an established code, with debt reduction at 1,584 complaints (80.1% robocall rate) suggesting out-of-state automated campaigns.
AG Jason Miyares sent warning letters to phone companies in December 2024 about allowing robocalls to bombard Virginians and called on the FCC to improve the Robocall Mitigation Database. His office joined 46 other AGs in the coalition against Avid Telecom.
What Virginians Can Do
- Check any suspicious number on ScamVerify's phone lookup before calling back. Virginia has 95,534 known scam numbers in our database.
- Report scam calls to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the VA AG at oag.state.va.us or 1-800-552-9963.
- Military families: verify all financial requests. If someone contacts you about DFAS, VA benefits, or Navy Federal accounts, hang up and contact the agency directly. Never allow anyone to access your phone based on an unsolicited approach.
- Treat 703/571 calls with the same caution as 202 calls. Northern Virginia area codes carry the same government authority association as DC's 202. Federal agencies do not initiate unsolicited calls demanding payment.
- Report veteran benefit scams to the VA OIG at va.gov/oig in addition to the FTC and state AG.
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 is Virginia heavily targeted by military-related scams?
Virginia has the highest concentration of military installations of any state, including Naval Station Norfolk (world's largest naval base), the Pentagon, Quantico, and Fort Belvoir. The FTC reported military-connected consumers lost $584 million nationally in 2024, a 25% increase. Virginia's 757 area code (Norfolk) saw a $2 million Navy Federal scam ring busted in September 2025, with 10 arrests and 500+ victims. Military personnel are targeted because of guaranteed income, benefits eligibility, and the transient nature of military life.
How do Northern Virginia scam calls connect to DC government impersonation?
The 703 and 571 area codes serve Northern Virginia, which is part of the DC metro area. Scammers use these area codes the same way they use 202: to create an implicit association with the federal government. The 703 code has 4,060 impersonation complaints, and 571 leads with impersonation as its #1 category (3,217). The GSA Inspector General has warned specifically about spoofed government numbers in Northern Virginia.
Which Virginia area code has the most scam calls?
804 Richmond (42,098 complaints, #48 nationally) and 757 Virginia Beach (42,047, #49) are virtually tied. The top three codes are within 1,300 complaints of each other, an unusually tight cluster. Virginia does not have a single dominant scam epicenter the way most states do.
What types of scams are most common in Virginia?
Medical and prescriptions lead with 24,127 complaints (55.8% robocall rate), followed by government impersonation at 20,061 (59.6%) and debt reduction at 15,192 (70.4%). Virginia is unique in having charities as a top-5 category (2,619 complaints), driven by Southwest Virginia's 276 area code. Vacation/timeshare scams (1,573) are concentrated in Virginia Beach (757).
What is Virginia doing about phone scams?
AG Jason Miyares sent warning letters to phone companies in December 2024 and joined 46 AGs in calling on the FCC to strengthen the Robocall Mitigation Database. Virginia participated in the multistate lawsuit against Avid Telecom. The Navy Federal scam ring prosecution in Norfolk resulted in 10 arrests and at least one prison sentence (1.5 years). VA state law enforcement agencies also issued warnings about veteran benefit overpayment scams targeting military families in January 2026.
