Washington County Reverse Phone Lookup

What are Washington County Area Codes?

Area codes are a three-digit number set at the beginning of North American telephone numbers. Introduced by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), area codes help simplify the telephony process. The NANPA differentiates its geographic territories into Numbering Plan Areas (NPAs) using number codes known as area codes. It also provides area code lookups online. Currently, only one area code serves Washington County.

Area Code 479

Area code 479 is an Arkansas telephone code serving Washington County and 12 other counties in northwestern Arkansas. It was created from a split of the 501 NPA in 2002. Cities and towns in Washington County within area code 479 include Fayetteville, Prairie Grove, West Fork, Johnson, Farmington, Tontitown, Elkins, Goshen, Winslow, and Greenland.

What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Washington County?

In Washington County, the best cell phone plans are those offered by AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint. With coverage of 99.53%, Verizon offers the most impressive network service, followed closely by AT&T with 99.15% coverage. T-Mobile covers 91.61% of the county, while Sprint trails behind with a 35.61% spread. There are Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) in Washington County that operate on the infrastructures of the major network carriers. They are suitable options for county residents and provide their services at very competitive prices.
 

According to a 2018 National Centre for Health Statistics survey, 66.4% of Arkansas adults used cell phones only for telecommunication. Conversely, only 4.2% of them depended solely on landlines. These results were similar to phone usage for children under 18 years, as 81.2% were exclusive cell phone users. An insignificant 1.7% of the children population relied on landlines. It is clear from these statistics that in Washington County, wireless telephony services have dominated the telecommunication space.
 

Numerous companies in Washington County offer Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony services at affordable rates. VoIP is a technology that allows telecommunication over an IP network, especially broadband internet connection. County residents have progressively adopted VoIP because of its flexibility and portability.

What are Washington County Phone Scams?

Washington County phone scams are scams that use telephone services to con people out of confidential information or money. Scammers have acquired more advanced methods to trick their targets over the years. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office warns residents to beware of phone scams spreading throughout the county. Several public agencies provide information to Washington County residents on the danger of phone scams and how to avoid them. They include:
 

• Office of the Attorney General of Arkansas (Consumer Protection Division)
• Washington County Sheriff’s Office
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
   

Commonly committed phone scams in Washington County include:

What are Washington County Impersonation Scams?

In this scam, the callers claim to be with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office or other government agencies. During the phone conversation, they ask for confidential information or request money from their targets for baseless reasons. The scammers often try to use intimidation to obtain their target’s compliance. They may threaten to get their marks arrested or have their licenses revoked if they fail to cooperate. These scammers use phone spoofing to conceal their true identities to deceive their targets into complying. Reverse phone lookup services can, however, help residents who receive spoofed phone calls to answer the question “who called me?”. If you receive this type of call, contact the government agency referenced in the phone call via its official phone number to confirm the caller’s claim.

What are Washington County Gift Card Scams?

Scammers offer vouchers or gift cards to county residents over the phone. These deals are often desirable and irresistible by targeted Washington County residents. The scammers sometimes pose as representatives of businesses that intend to reward their loyal customers with incentives. During the call, they will ask for their marks’ personal or financial information, which will allegedly be used to activate their phony gift cards. It is a ploy to obtain personal information which can be used for identity theft. Residents can uncover the identities of such callers using phone number lookup free services. The Consumer Protection Division (CPD) of the Arkansas Attorney General Office warns residents to be wary of such offers. They advise residents never to disclose personal information to unknown callers over the phone. Any resident who discloses their financial information to such callers should hang up immediately and call their bank to stop all withdrawal requests on their accounts. The CPD provides online resources to protect the identities of consumers who may have fallen victim to identity theft.

What are Washington County Emergency Scams?

Fraudsters call Washington County residents and pose as family members or friends in dire need of financial assistance to resolve emergencies. Common emergencies they claim include the need to pay hospital bills, bond out of jail, or leave a foreign country. Scammers play on the emotions of their victims, who often swear to secrecy. The FTC advises county residents not to act under duress. Instead, they should call other family members or friends on their familiar phone numbers to verify the story. Residents should never give out confidential information over the phone or send money to unidentified callers. It is possible to retrieve the identities of such callers using phone number search applications.

What are Washington County Social Security Scams?

In this scam, the callers pretend to be social security administrators or other government officials to defraud Washington County residents. They often ask for their targets’ social security numbers and some confidential financial information, citing frivolous reasons for such requests. Such information, if disclosed, can easily be used for identity and financial theft. The callers often use phone spoofing to appear official and legitimate. The Social Security Administration (SSA) warns residents that it will never request personal or financial information from anyone in unsolicited phone calls. Residents should never give out confidential information to unknown persons over the phone, especially if they did not initiate such calls. If called by a suspected scammer, it is best to hang up immediately and call the SSA on 1 (800) 772-1213 to verify the caller’s claim. Reverse number lookup services can return identifying information on social security scammers and help residents avoid this scam.

What are Washington County Employment Scams?

Scammers present fake job offers to county residents to steal money and personal information. They take advantage of peoples’ desire to generate extra income by claiming to be with companies that provide impressive remuneration to remote workers. Their unsuspecting targets, rather than make more money, end up paying huge sums for worthless training, certificates, or starter kits. In other instances, the scammers may promise their marks of getting them United State Postal Service or federal government jobs at a fee. Residents should never send money to unidentified callers because neither the federal government nor any legitimate employer will ask for money in exchange for a job offer. Also, the FTC advises job seekers to properly research job offers online and check the official job sites of any government agency of their interests. Phone number search applications can help residents to ascertain who these callers are and avoid employment scams.

What are Washington County COVID-19 Scams?

Scammers pose as county health officials and extort Washington County residents using COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, testing, contact tracing, or pandemic response funds as bait. Although genuine healthcare workers contact residents from time to time, scammers leverage this opportunity to perpetrate their malicious acts. They often request personal and financial information during engagements with their targets for alleged verification of their targets’ eligibility for COVID-19 medications or tests. In other cases, they assert that such information will help facilitate the processing of stimulus checks.
 

If a caller claiming to be with the county’s health department requests any such detail from you, hang up immediately. Phone number search applications can determine if the calls are genuinely from the health department. Washington County health workers are not responsible for processing pandemic relief funds. They also do not require residents’ information for contact tracing. The FTC advises county residents to shun bogus COVID-19 surveys as they are techniques for stealing confidential data and money.

What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?

Robocalls are automated calls that deliver pre-recorded messages, often from political campaign organizations, non-profit organizations, or telemarketers. They are the choice tool for conveying bulk information to several people within a short time and considered illegal if unsolicited by the receiver. Spam calls are unwanted calls that deliver irrelevant bulk messages. Scammers favor robocalls because it allows them to remain discrete. They use false caller identities to pose as legitimate organizations to defraud residents. A good reverse phone lookup service can, however, uncover the true identities of unknown callers and expose possible scams.  
 

Proven means of tackling illegal robocalls include:
 

• Hanging up on robocalls. Acting on robocalls prompts can result in more unwanted calls.
• Enrolling your phone number for free on the National Do Not Call Registry. This helps to stop most unwanted telemarketing calls.
• Filing reports of robocalls abuse with the FTC by calling 1 (888) 382-1222.
• Conducting reverse phone number lookup to identify spoofed robocalls.
• Blocking unwanted calls using call-blocking applications on smartphones.

How Can You Spot and Report Washington County Phone Scams?

In Washington County, phone scammers have evolved in their schemes. However, with the right resources and information, county residents can stay ahead of scammers and avoid falling victim to their tricks. Reverse phone number lookup applications can help residents identify fraudsters and avoid scams. Signs that a phone call is a scam include:
 

• The caller gives precise instructions on methods of payment. Scammers favor payments via unusual channels such as gift cards, cash, wire transfers, or cryptocurrencies. These channels help them to remain anonymous.
   
• The caller offers overly attractive deals at little or no risk. The catch is to leverage on their targets’ financial desperation and divert their attention from the reality of such offers. 
   
• The caller offers urgent deals and only a few slots. Legitimate organizations will usually give their clients ample time to consider their offers. 
   
• The caller uses persuasion and sometimes aggression to make their victims yield to their demands. Common strategies include fines, audits, license revocation, lawsuits, and arrests.
   

Washington County residents who are targeted by phone scammers can report to any of these public institutions:
 

• Office of the Attorney General of Arkansas - Residents can file consumer complaints with the Attorney General’s Office online, via email, or by calling 1 (800) 482-8982.
   
• Washington County Sheriff’s Office - County residents can file phone scam reports with the Sheriff’s Office by calling (479) 444-5700.
   
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC) - Residents can report illegal robocalls and phone scams to the FCC online.
   
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)  - Washington County residents who are victims of phone scams can report to the FTC online. They can also enroll their phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry to be exempt from unwanted robocalls by telemarketers.