Seattle's 206 area code is being used for government lawsuit threats and Amazon purchase scams. Imposters try to convince you that you are in legal trouble or that someone hacked your account.
Look up any suspicious number using our scam and spam phone number lookup database. It includes over 29 million Do Not Call and robocall complaints reported to the Federal Trade Commission.
Getting calls from 206 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof Washington (Seattle, Shoreline, Burien) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 206 scams based on user comments:
Residents in the Seattle area are receiving aggressive robocalls and live calls from individuals pretending to be from the IRS or the U.S. government. They falsely claim a lawsuit has been filed against you for tax fraud and that an arrest warrant will be issued if you don't comply immediately, sometimes even using fake names like "Officer Ryan Smith."
The IRS and other federal agencies initiate contact through official U.S. Mail, not with threatening phone calls or robocalls. They will never demand immediate payment over the phone or threaten you with arrest by local police for tax issues.
"Automated voicemail said there was a warrant for my arrest and that I must call them back."
This scam involves a call, often a robocall, claiming to be from Amazon's fraud department about a suspicious, high-dollar purchase on your account. Victims report being told they ordered items like a "$1500.00 apple mac book" or an "iPad Pro for an amount of $2160" and are pressured to download software or, in some cases, pay a "cancellation fee" with Target gift cards.
Amazon will never call you to request payment or personal information for a fraudulent charge. Furthermore, they will never ask you to resolve a security issue by purchasing gift cards or installing third-party software on your devices.
"Pretending to be an Amazon employee and tricked me into sending him over $4000 money through Target Gift Cards."
This is a high-volume robocall campaign targeting Seattle-area residents, with some people receiving over 20 calls in just a few hours. The recorded message urgently warns that your "Apple iCloud has been breached" and instructs you not to use any Apple devices until you call their "support advisor" by pressing 1.
Apple does not make unsolicited calls to alert customers of security breaches. This is a phishing scam designed to steal your Apple ID, password, and financial information.
"That your iCloud account has been breached before using any Apple device. Please contact Apple support advisor, press one to connect with Apple support advisor... Please call us on our toll-free number 206-309-9231."
Scammers are calling 206 numbers claiming to be from the Social Security Administration. They use fear tactics, stating your Social Security Number (SSN) has been "suspended" due to fraudulent activity or that a warrant is out for your arrest. Callers like "Chris Monroe" with badge number "CM-1912" will try to get you to "verify" your SSN and other personal details.
Your Social Security number cannot be suspended or canceled. The SSA communicates through official mail and will never call to threaten you with arrest or legal action.
"The caller stated he was calling from SS Admin in Washington D.C.. He gave his name as Chris Monroe badge # CM-1912... He advised me not to disconnect the call and if I did I would be red flagged as being uncooperative."
Callers with heavy accents are informing residents they have been selected to receive a federal grant, often for a specific amount like "$9,000" or "$9,200." To claim this "free money," you are instructed to go to a store like Walmart or Walgreens and pay an upfront "registration" or "processing" fee, typically around $200, often via an eBay card or wire transfer.
The U.S. government does not call citizens to award unsolicited grants. Any offer of "free money" that requires you to pay a fee first is always a scam.
"They say there fedral grant givingbmomey they wanted me give bank info or prepaid card to send it to me...they wanted me to get prepaid card load 200 on it and give it to them to send me the money"
This scam preys on fear by leaving voicemails claiming the recipient has been "officially notified" of a pending legal matter or complaint. The caller, pretending to be a process server or from a legal office, threatens to pursue you at your home or workplace if you don't call back immediately to resolve the issue.
Real process servers do not call ahead to warn you; they are paid to find you and serve documents in person without prior notice. A phone call is not legal notification, and you can never pay a process server to make a lawsuit go away.
"Calls repeatedly claiming to be a process server many times in row. Claims they are sending someone to serve you at your work or home unless you pay them, but will not reveal their company name or anything about the supposed court case."
Scammers are sending text messages and making calls claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, often using a representative's name like "Juliet Smith." They inform you that you've won a large sum, such as "$250,000," and a new car. To claim your prize, they instruct you to buy gift cards or send money orders to an "agent" like "Kevin Martinez" to cover insurance and processing fees.
The real Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol shows up at your door with a big check and cameras. They never call or text ahead to demand payment for taxes, fees, or insurance.
"Husband got a call from 'Publishers Clearing House'. He won $950,000 and a car. He directed him to go to Walgreen's to get gift cards for insurance on the car."
Many Seattle-area businesses and residents report being bombarded with calls that are just a fax machine beeping tone. These calls come repeatedly, sometimes dozens of times a day and even in the middle of the night, from a rotating series of 206 numbers. This ties up phone lines and fills voicemail with useless beeping recordings.
This is a form of spam marketing known as "junk faxing." The callers are blasting faxes to thousands of numbers hoping to hit a working fax machine, and they don't care that they are harassing businesses and residents in the process.
"This number keeps trying to fax our business land line, despite numerous faxes back to them indicating they cease and desist, as it is not a fax, but a business land line."
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 206 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Washington, United States. Area code 206 is a general purpose code that has been in service since January 1, 1947.
Most common 206 scam types are:
You're likely experiencing "Neighbor Spoofing." Scammers fake their caller ID to display local or familiar numbers. If you live in or near Washington, or have a 206 phone number yourself, scammers know you're more likely to answer what appears to be a local call.
Calling back to unknown spam number may incur premium charges or at least confirm your phone number is active and lead to more spam and scam calls.
There are three main ways to reduce spam calls:
It's definitely possible to block all specific area code phone numbers. However, we do not recommend this option because it would also prevent friends, family, doctors, and legitimate businesses from reaching you.
Other Washington area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: