The 779 area code is plagued by vehicle warranty scams and government impersonators. They threaten you with legal trouble or badger you about car repairs to get your credit card.
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 779 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof Illinois (Rockford, Joliet, DeKalb) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 779 scams based on user comments:
People in the 779 area code are receiving frequent robocalls about renewing an extended auto warranty. Scammers make these calls sound urgent, targeting owners of vehicles like Hyundais and even cars that are 13 years old and clearly out of any warranty period.
Legitimate companies do not use unsolicited robocalls to sell auto warranties. This is a high-pressure tactic to sell you an overpriced and often useless service contract, not a real extension of your manufacturer's warranty.
"Robocall offering to renew my Extended Warranty on my car. My car is 13 years old and I DON'T HAVE ANY WARRANTY POLICY. Obvious scam."
Callers are aggressively pretending to be from the Social Security Administration or the IRS. They create panic by claiming a "suspension notice" has been issued against your Social Security number due to "actions in Washington DC" or threaten you with arrest if you don't pay money owed.
The Social Security Administration and IRS will never call you to threaten your benefits or demand immediate payment. Official communication almost always arrives via U.S. Mail, not a surprise phone call.
"Claiming to be social security administration. Stated There was a suspension notice against my ss number from actions in Washington DC"
Scammers are calling 779 residents posing as debt collectors, sometimes for debts that were disputed and removed from credit reports years ago. They may use robocalls, refuse to identify their company, or impersonate real businesses like Comcast and then hang up when you refuse to provide your Social Security number.
Under federal law, real debt collectors must provide you with a written notice detailing the debt within five days of first contacting you. They cannot legally use threats or refuse to identify themselves.
"called said they were a debt collector..it was a robo caller then if you press 1 or 0 it connects you to someone supposedly collecting a debt.. however the debt that they were trying to collect was disputed and removed from my credit report 4 years ago."
A specific scam involves a caller named "Amber" claiming to be from "US Bank" who offers a $5,000 loan. The trap is that she tells you that to secure the loan, you must first pay a $100 "insurance" fee by putting money on a "Red Card" from a retail store.
Legitimate banks and lenders never require an "insurance" fee to be paid with a retail gift card. Any legitimate loan fees are deducted from the amount you borrow, not paid upfront by you.
"This person was named Amber and claimed to work for US Bank. She offered me a loan too good to be true for $5000. She then told me I needed to put $100 on a Red Card from the store to pay for “Insurance” on the loan..."
Scammers are sending text messages to employees in the area pretending to be their CEO or a coworker. They will ask for a "favor," which is often a request to purchase something like gift cards, and will refuse to speak on the phone if you try to verify the request.
Your boss will not contact you from a random phone number and ask you to buy gift cards via text message. This is a common scam designed to trick you into sending them money that cannot be traced.
"This number tried to impersonate the CEO of the company that I work for...Pretended to be my CEO asking for a favor. I asked them to call me instead because the favor was about purchasing something at a grocery store. Obviously a scam"
You may get a voicemail from a person named "Victoria Miller" about a computer service subscription for $399.99. The message threatens that if you fail to call a specific 866 number to cancel, you will be automatically charged $8,400 for a five-year service on your Key Bank checking account.
This is a scare tactic. Legitimate companies don't use high-pressure threats to handle renewals. The goal is to get you to call the fraudulent number so they can steal your financial information.
"Yes computer scam told me to call back and say I didn’t want the yearly price of $399.99 or Pay for 5 years unless I called to cancel I would be charged $8400 for 5 years service on my Key Bank Checking account. The person who called is Victoria Miller..."
Scammers are sending texts pretending to be from the "0ffice-Secretary-0f-State" of Illinois. These messages falsely claim your driver's license ("D-L") has been revoked and include a dangerous link to trick you into giving up your personal information.
The Illinois Secretary of State communicates official actions like a license revocation via formal U.S. Mail, not through unsolicited text messages. The link in the text is a phishing attempt to steal your data.
"Got text: '0ffice-Secretary-0f-State:\n(D-L has been revoked). Complet here:https://forms.......'\nBlocked the number."
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 779 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Illinois, United States. Area code 779 is a general purpose code that has been in service since March 17, 2007.
Most common 779 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 Illinois, or have a 779 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 Illinois area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: