The 503 area code is being used heavily for tech support schemes and fake legal threats. Fraudsters claim your email has been hacked or that you are being sued to pressure you into handing over money.
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 503 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof Oregon (Portland, Salem, Gresham) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 503 scams based on user comments:
Scammers, often with foreign accents, aggressively call claiming to be from major tech companies like Google, Yahoo, AOL, or Microsoft. They create a false emergency, alleging your email account has been hacked from a foreign IP address in Russia, used for child pornography, or that there's a problem with your Windows OS. Their goal is to gain remote access to your computer and extort money, sometimes over $1,000, for a fake "fix."
Legitimate tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo will not cold-call you about a security problem. Security alerts are sent via official emails or notifications within their applications, and they will never ask for payment or remote access over the phone to resolve an issue.
"Got a call from guy speaking with foreign accent. Said my Hotmail account was compromised and he wanted me to verify info with him. I told him he was a scam artist and he was argumentative about he was not and would lock my email account. Told him go ahead, Hotmail was a free account and I would just create a new account and I hung up."
This aggressive scam involves callers impersonating process servers or officials from local courts, such as "Clackamas County Court Location Services." They use threatening language, stating a case has been filed against you or a family member, and that they will track your location. They often provide a fake case number and demand you call a separate 800-number to speak with a "legal department."
Real process servers do not call ahead to warn you; they deliver legal documents in person without prior notice. Courts communicate official business through the mail, not with threatening phone calls from third-party "location services."
"Caller left an aggresive voicemail addressing me by my full legal name and stating that there is going to be a case filed against me in court that will allow them to track down my location. I contacted the Multnomah County Court house with the fake case number left on my voicemail and the courts stated that the claim number does not exist!"
These are relentless, high-volume robocalls claiming your car's warranty is expired and this is the "final notice." The calls often start with an urgent automated message saying "DO NOT HANG UP" and are designed to pressure you into buying an unnecessary or worthless extended service contract. They call repeatedly from many different numbers, even after you've blocked them or asked to be removed from their list.
Your vehicle's manufacturer will not contact you with urgent robocalls to sell you an extended warranty. These calls come from third-party marketing companies that often have no connection to your car's dealer or manufacturer.
"Robo call telling you 'DO NOT HANG UP' this is an important message about your car Warranty being expired. Not a real call. NEVER respond to these kind of SCAM callers. Your Warranty on your car is not expired. HANG UP PEOPLE. DO NOT FALL FOR THIS LIE !!!"
This is a tricky tactic used in various scams where the caller's immediate goal is to get a recording of you saying the word "Yes." Callers, often identifying as "Joe" or "Sara" on a "recorded line," will ask a simple question like "Can you hear me okay?" If you say "Yes," they may use that voice recording as fraudulent proof that you agreed to a purchase or service, making it harder to dispute charges later.
Legitimate businesses do not need to trick you into saying "Yes." They will clearly state the purpose of their call and ask for explicit confirmation for any service or charge, not rely on a tricky opening question.
"Said his name was Joe with an insurance company calling on a recorded line and wanted to review my plan. Then he asked if I could hear him ok and I know there are people trying to get you to just say yes so they have a recording of you saying that so I said 'no, not really' and for some odd reason 'Joe' hung up on me! Oh Joe, sorry but I’m not stupid!!"
Scammers are calling 503 numbers pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or the Oregon Employment Department. They use fear tactics, such as claiming your Social Security Number (SSN) has been suspended due to fraud or that drugs were seized in your name. Their goal is to steal your personal information, like your SSN, or scare you into sending them money.
The Social Security Administration and other government agencies primarily communicate through official mail. They will never call to threaten you, demand immediate payment, or suspend your SSN. Any call like this is a scam.
"The recording said they had an issue with my SSN - some sort of case against me. I called the number back and spoke with 'Officer Dale Johnson' who refused to tell me why he had called me. He wanted to know if I was married... Hilariously he told me it was because he loved me. I laughed and told him to get a life."
These calls target Oregon residents with deceptive offers related to health insurance or Medicare. Callers may identify themselves as "Kristin the disability advisor" or "Jeremy from medicare+" and try to sell you a "medicare discount card" or push you to switch insurance plans. They often call relentlessly and can become aggressive if you decline their services.
Official Medicare representatives will never call you to sell you products or ask for your personal information unless you have specifically requested a call first. Any unsolicited call offering Medicare benefits is highly likely to be a scam.
"Call 5-6 times a day for 2 weeks straight. Each time we've asked to be removed from their calling list and they refuse to do so. last call I placed to them, I was drilled about my personal life, my medical insurance coverage, and refused to remove us unless we answered all of the questions."
A significant number of Oregon residents are being bombarded by calls that are nothing more than a series of beeps or a fax machine tone. These automated calls can occur dozens of times a day, sometimes every few minutes, tying up phone lines and filling voicemail with noise. Some comments have identified Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) as a potential source for some of these misdirected faxes, while others are of unknown origin.
While not a typical scam to steal money, these are a major nuisance caused by automated fax systems with a wrong number in their database. The system is programmed to redial relentlessly until the fax is successfully sent, which will never happen on a voice line.
"We've been getting numerous fax calls to our phone number."
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 503 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Oregon, United States. Area code 503 is a general purpose code that has been in service since January 1, 1947.
Most common 503 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 Oregon, or have a 503 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 Oregon area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: