Scammers use 423 numbers for Social Security scams and aggressive car warranty calls. They try to sell you worthless service contracts or steal your personal information by posing as agents.
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 423 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof Tennessee (Chattanooga, Johnson City, Kingsport) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 423 scams based on user comments:
Residents in the Chattanooga and Tri-Cities areas are receiving calls from scammers pretending to be from the Social Security Administration. They often claim your SSN has been used for fraud "near the south Texas border," using fake names like "Officer Alex Riley," and threaten to suspend your number or have you arrested if you don't comply.
The Social Security Administration will never call you to threaten your benefits or tell you that your SSN has been suspended. They initiate contact by mail, not with threatening phone calls demanding personal information.
"They wanted to suspend my number and told me two detectives would be at my door in the morning to issue me another one. Scammmm"
These are relentless, high-volume robocalls claiming your car's warranty is about to expire. Callers harass residents across the 423 area code multiple times a day, often from numbers that change slightly, and will hang up if you ask to be placed on a "do not call" list because, as one caller admitted, they don't have one.
These calls are not from your car's manufacturer or dealership. They are from third-party sellers using illegal robocalls to sell often overpriced or worthless service contracts, and they have no real information about your vehicle's warranty status.
"lady from this number called me. Told her we have told them several times we are not interested in their car warranty, and I hung up on her. She immediately called me back. I answered phone with the response of 'why are you calling me back?' She answered, 'to let you know we don't have a do not call list.'"
Scammers are calling 423 numbers with urgent, threatening messages about pending legal action. They claim "complaints have been filed against you" and that they will serve you with papers at your home or job unless you call back immediately with a fake case number they provide.
Official process servers do not call ahead to warn you. Their job is to deliver legal documents in person without prior notice. A call warning you that you're about to be served is a classic scare tactic used by fraudulent debt collectors.
"I received a message from this man stating that he had two complaints against me and that I needed to call another number with a case number. He then stated on the message that I needed to call back because it would be bad if he found me first."
A widespread automated scam is targeting residents, claiming to be from CVS, CVS Caremark, or Aetna. The robocall states you have an "overdue prescription" and asks you to call back a separate 800-number with a long extension, or to verify your name and date of birth, in an attempt to steal your personal information.
While pharmacies use automated reminders, they do not use deceptive tactics like these. This scam's goal is to trick you into providing personal and health information for identity theft and insurance fraud.
"Got a call from 423-822-2465 telling my prescription is overdue and asking me to call 855-708-3581 and a extension number I don't ever used CVS, that's a scam"
This aggressive scam involves callers pretending to be from the IRS or another federal agency. They falsely claim you owe thousands in back taxes and threaten that you will be arrested, have police sent to your house, or be "taken over by the federal government" if you don't pay immediately.
The IRS's first point of contact is always through official U.S. Mail, not a threatening phone call. They will never demand immediate payment over the phone or threaten to have you arrested for not paying.
"claimed to be IRS. asked for 7 thousand dollars or id go to jail and send police to my house. obviously fake and as soon as I questioned the person about it they hung up. Indian accent."
Scammers are calling local residents posing as a "Medicare advisor" or medical supply company. They may offer free cancer screenings or "free" back braces, claiming Medicare will deny future claims if you don't respond. The ultimate goal is to get your Medicare number for fraudulent billing.
Medicare will not call you to sell products. Offers of "free" medical supplies are a common tactic scammers use to get your personal information and bill Medicare for thousands of dollars in equipment you never needed or received.
"This number calls my house about three-four times a day. They leave a recorded message that my braces are ready and if they don't hear from me, medicare will deny all future claims."
Scammers are calling local homes and businesses claiming to be from the electric company. They create a false sense of panic by threatening to shut off your power within 30 minutes if an immediate payment is not made over the phone.
Utility companies send multiple written notices through the mail before disconnecting service. They will never call and demand immediate payment over the phone to prevent a shutoff that is supposedly happening in minutes.
"This number calls me once a month to tell me my electric is going to be shut off within the next 30min if I don't call and make a payment."
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 423 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Tennessee, United States. Area code 423 is a general purpose code that has been in service since September 11, 1995.
Most common 423 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 Tennessee, or have a 423 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 Tennessee area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: