Residents with 703 numbers are reporting Social Security imposters and fake debt collectors. They threaten you with legal trouble or arrest to scare 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 703 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria, Centreville) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 703 scams based on user comments:
Scammers aggressively call Northern Virginia residents pretending to be from the Social Security Administration, DEA, or US Marshals. They falsely claim your Social Security Number has been suspended due to "drug trafficking" or "money laundering" and threaten you with immediate arrest or legal action to create panic.
The Social Security Administration, FBI, and DEA will never call you to threaten arrest, demand payment, or ask you to move money. They initiate official contact through registered U.S. Mail, not with intimidating and urgent phone calls.
"They convinced me that my SS# had been compromised with drug trafficking and there was a warrant for my arrest. I would need a new SS# but had to deposit into a Bitcoin ATM to re-establish my ID."
You may receive an urgent robocall claiming a "pending matter" or legal complaint has been filed against you. These scammers threaten to serve you with legal documents at your home or workplace, warning that you will "forfeit your rights" if you don't immediately call back a separate 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. Furthermore, legitimate debt collectors are required by federal law to mail you a written validation notice of the debt.
"I'm contacting you from our clients process Division I received an order for you and it looks like for two pending matters now. Unfortunately, since I am unable to reach you by phone, I may attempt to reach you at your home and or your place of employment."
This is one of the most frequent nuisance calls in the 703 area. A recorded message claims your vehicle's warranty is expiring and this is the "final notice" to purchase an extended service plan. These calls are relentless and often come from a huge block of spoofed numbers to evade call blockers.
These callers are not associated with your car's manufacturer or the dealership where you bought it. They are third-party telemarketers using high-pressure tactics to sell expensive and often useless service contracts.
"Receive multiple calls daily from this number. Always same thing, a recorded message about 'New affordable extended warranty programs to save you thousands of dollars' Always states it will be a 'Final call before they close the file' Yet the phone call keep right on coming in."
You receive an alarming robocall that your Apple iCloud account has been compromised or that a large, unauthorized purchase was made on your Amazon account. The caller ID is often faked to say "Apple Inc." The goal is to make you panic and press "1" to speak with a fake support agent, who will then attempt to steal your password or financial data.
Companies like Apple and Amazon will never make unsolicited calls to you about a security breach. They send security notifications via email or directly within their official apps, and they will never ask for your password over the phone.
"beware!!! computer generated call saying it was from apple inc. said my apple device was compromised and to call 1-703-236-7970. I DO NOT OWN AN APPLE DEVICE, COMPUTER OR ANYTHING APPLE."
Area residents report receiving unsolicited calls and texts from individuals claiming to be "local investors" who want to buy their property. These callers, sometimes using a recorded voice of "Amy," often know your name and street address and make offers to pay "all cash."
While some legitimate investors purchase homes directly, these widespread, unsolicited calls are frequently data-mining operations. Their primary goal is often to pressure homeowners into selling their property for significantly less than its actual market value.
"Hi this is Amy Amy again anyways um wasn't sure if my last message my last voicemail message came through um so I thought I'd give you another call I a.m. a local investor and I was hoping hoping hoping to buy another property right here in our neighborhood..."
A caller will claim to be collecting donations for a generic-sounding fund for police, firefighters, or first responders. They often use high-pressure tactics, refuse to take "no" for an answer, and may try to guilt you into making a small donation of $15 or $20 to get your credit card information.
Most local police and fire departments do not use for-profit telemarketers to solicit donations. Many of these callers represent Political Action Committees (PACs) or fundraising companies that keep a very large percentage of the money collected, with little to none actually reaching local first responders.
"Claim to be a police association raising money for police, their families, AND to raise penalties against criminals. WOULD NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. After saying no 3 times, the guy kept reading his script, I finally just hung up"
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 703 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Virginia, United States. Area code 703 is a general purpose code that has been in service since January 1, 1947.
Most common 703 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 Virginia, or have a 703 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 Virginia area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: