Michigan's 269 area code is plagued by fake government legal threats and vehicle warranty scams. Callers try to scare you with lawsuits or pressure you into buying car coverage you do not need.
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 269 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof Michigan (Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Portage) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 269 scams based on user comments:
Scammers are calling 269 residents posing as officials from the Social Security Administration, the IRS, or even the State of Michigan Department of Treasury. They use threats of legal action, saying a "case has been opened" or you're "going to jail" for supposed unpaid taxes or fines, and demand immediate payment to resolve the fake issue.
Government agencies like the IRS and Social Security Administration will never call you to threaten arrest or demand immediate payment over the phone. They initiate contact through official mail, not with aggressive, threatening robocalls.
"Said I was going to jail unless I paid my fines off right now. Told them come get me!!"
You'll receive a call, often a recorded message from someone named "Margaret," about your car's warranty. They claim to have sent you multiple notices in the mail and that this is your "final" opportunity to extend your coverage before it's too late. They often don't know what kind of car you drive, asking you to name your "favorite vehicle."
Legitimate companies know the details of the warranty they sold you and do not rely on high-pressure robocalls to solicit business. This is a phishing attempt to get your personal and financial information.
"They're recorded message say they are calling after having made multiple attempts by mail to reach me about my vehicles warranty. Since I have more than 5 vehicles, I need to know which one they are calling in regards to. She asked which was my 'favorite vehicle'. Really?"
Callers are falsely claiming to be from Medicare, Blue Cross, or Humana. They may threaten that you will "loose your medicare benefits" if you don't provide your card number immediately. Others will offer "free pain cream" or other medical supplies and then ask for your insurance details to "verify" the offer.
Medicare will never call you to ask for your card number or threaten to cancel your benefits. Legitimate insurance providers will not call you repeatedly from different numbers or become hostile when you refuse to share information.
"She claimed to be calling from Medicare and demanded my Medicare card # or I would loose my medicare benefits, I refused and she became very demanding and belligerent."
Residents are receiving calls from people identifying as "Mary," "Mr. Johnson," or "Frank White," claiming they have a package to deliver to you. The goal is to get you to call back and provide personal information, such as your address, under the guise of arranging a delivery. Sometimes they claim to be from a real local business, like Sir Home Improvement, to seem more credible.
Official delivery companies like UPS or FedEx will leave a notice on your door if they miss you. They do not make vague, suspicious phone calls from local numbers asking you to call them back.
"I got a message that said it was 'mr. johnson' and that he had a delivery that he needed to bring over and to call back. Very sus"
You may get a call from someone with a heavy accent, sometimes named "Jonathan," claiming to be from "PC tech support" or Microsoft. They'll state there is a "problem with your PC" and that they need to help you fix it. This is a trick to get you to give them remote access to your computer so they can steal your personal information or install malware.
Legitimate tech support is initiated by you, the consumer. Unsolicited calls claiming your computer is sending error messages are always a scam designed to gain access to your files and financial data.
"This guy, who sounded Middle Eastern or possibly Indian, said he called about the problem with my PC. I said, What PC? He said your Microsoft Windows PC. I said what PC? He went silent and I said, good bye Felicia."
A huge number of complaints from the 269 area code involve frequent, repeated calls that are silent when answered. The phone rings multiple times a day, but when you pick up, there's just dead air before the line disconnects. These calls are often from robodialers checking for active phone numbers to target for future scams.
These calls are not wrong numbers; they are automated systems dialing thousands of numbers to build lists of active phone lines. Answering the call, even if it's silent, confirms to the dialer that your number is real and ready for more scam calls.
"This number LITERALLY calls my landline 3-4 times DAILY. I’m on the DNC list for MI, and I’m also a client of Nomorobo. They don’t seem to be able to catch and reroute these calls. Just completely annoying!! STOP CALLING!"
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 269 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Michigan, United States. Area code 269 is a general purpose code that has been in service since July 13, 2002.
Most common 269 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 Michigan, or have a 269 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 Michigan area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: