The 612 area code is a hotspot for fake process servers and Social Security impersonation calls. These fraudsters threaten to serve you court papers or suspend your benefits to get your personal information.
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 612 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof Minnesota (Minneapolis, Richfield) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 612 scams based on user comments:
Residents in the Minneapolis area are receiving aggressive calls from scammers pretending to be compliance officers or agents from firms like "AMI." They threaten legal action, wage garnishment, or that you will be "located" at your home or work for failing to sign documents for a non-existent debt, often mentioning a local Minnesota county to sound legitimate.
Real process servers do not call ahead to warn you; they simply show up at your address. Furthermore, legitimate debt collectors are required by federal law to provide you with a written validation notice of the debt.
"Just got a call from this number telling me I need to call a different number and give them my case number she provided me and said I need to call today or they will go to my address and employee and serve me papers for a court date and I will have to show up with an attorney! Like, really?!"
Scammers use robocalls, sometimes with a grandmotherly-sounding voice, to claim your Social Security Number has been compromised or suspended. In a dangerous local twist, they have spoofed the Hennepin County Sheriff's office number to add pressure, telling victims to withdraw money from their bank or buy Target gift cards to avoid arrest.
The Social Security Administration primarily communicates through official U.S. mail. They will never threaten you, demand payment via gift cards, or ask you to withdraw cash from your bank account.
"I was transferred to this number 612-348-3744 after not wanting to buy target cards and put all my money on them. they claimed the police would come to my house and arrest me if I didn't do it. They said my social security number was being used for illegal activities in another state."
These are relentless robocalls claiming your car's warranty is about to expire. They use urgent phrases like "this is your last warning" or "final courtesy call" to pressure you into speaking with a "specialist" to buy an expensive and often useless service plan. They call constantly, often from slightly different numbers.
These calls are not from your car's manufacturer or dealership. They are from third-party telemarketers who often have no information about your actual vehicle or its warranty status and are simply cold-calling numbers in the 612 area code.
"Wait! Don't hang up.. Extended Warranty for your car."
Callers are falsely claiming to be from United Healthcare (UHC), Medica, or Blue Plus MN. They often use a robocall to state they are from the "prior authorization department" or "RX DRUG PLAN" and try to trick you into "verifying" your date of birth or other personal health information to gain access to your accounts.
While your health plan may call you, they will not ask for sensitive information like your full date of birth right at the start of a call. Legitimate communications about authorizations typically come directly from your doctor's office or via official mail or secure online portals.
"received call from this number...with a recorded greeting stating something about 'pre-authorization' or 'authorization'. It askes to press the # 1 if you are (your name)...Then, after I pressed #1, the recorded message instructed me to enter my birth date. I hung up."
Scammers are calling residents shortly after they place a real online order with Best Buy or Amazon. They know what was purchased and claim to be from the company's "verification department," using the legitimacy of your recent purchase to try and steal your personal or payment details.
Major retailers like Best Buy and Amazon handle order verification through their secure websites and apps. They will not call you from a random Minneapolis number and ask you to read your credit card information over the phone.
"called pretending to be Best Buy - 5 hours after I submitted an order on bestbuy.com - so phishing, not to mention they apparently have an worm into Best Buy's order system."
Minneapolis-area homeowners report a flood of unsolicited calls and texts from people claiming to be realtors or investors who want to buy your home for cash. They often have your name and address and may use familiar names like "Chris from Keller Williams" or "Diana" to seem like a friendly neighbor.
While some real estate agents make cold calls, the high volume and aggressive tactics reported are hallmarks of data-mining operations. A professional and ethical realtor will respect your privacy and your request to not be contacted again.
"Chris from Keller Williams Realty called me to see what happened to my house since it went off the market today. I told him my agent was switching to Keller Williams so we would relist with her. He asked if we wanted to meet with other realtors. Pretty shady to try to take a client from another Keller Williams realtor."
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 612 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Minnesota, United States. Area code 612 is a general purpose code that has been in service since January 1, 1947.
Most common 612 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 Minnesota, or have a 612 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 Minnesota area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: