The 939 area code is targeted by family emergency scams and vague debt collection calls. Scammers claim a relative is hurt or in trouble to extort money from you quickly.
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 939 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof Puerto Rico (San Juan, Carolina) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 939 scams based on user comments:
Scammers from area code 939 are making terrifying calls, falsely claiming a family member has been in a serious car accident. A man pretending to be a paramedic initiates the call, then passes you to an accomplice who demands money, sometimes as much as $1,500, for fake medical bills and may even claim your relative is being held hostage.
Real paramedics and hospital staff focus on providing medical care. They will never call a victim's family to demand immediate, direct payment over the phone, nor will they hold someone hostage for a medical bill.
"a man tried to obtain money from me ($1,500) from this number saying that a family member was in a car accident as if he was a paramedic. Then, the supposed paramedic pass me a familiar of an injured kid and said he had my father hostage!"
Residents in Puerto Rico are receiving robocalls where the caller claims to be from "Liberty Cablevision" or a debt collector like "Portfolio Rev." These callers possess some of your personal information but refuse to explain the purpose of their call until you "validate" even more sensitive details, which is a classic phishing tactic.
Legitimate companies will identify themselves and the reason for their call upfront. They do not hold the purpose of the call hostage in exchange for your personal information. A real debt collector must legally provide details of the debt in writing upon request.
"DICEN TU INFORMACION PERO NO TE DICEN QUE ES HASTA QUE VALIDES HELLO QUIEN LE VA A DAR TU INFO. ES FRAUDE!!"
Scammers are calling and claiming to be from the Puerto Rico Department of Health, often referencing COVID-19 follow-ups for travelers. They proceed to ask for personal details about your trip or vaccination status—information the real department should already have from official entry screenings, indicating a likely attempt to steal your information.
While government health agencies may conduct follow-ups, they will not ask you to provide sensitive personal information that they already collected through official channels like travel declaration forms. These questions are a sign of an impersonation scam.
"Claimed to be with the Puerto Rico department of health. Asked questions that should have already been known with entry covid screening. Asked personal questions about length of stay."
Many are receiving calls where, upon answering, a recording immediately states "the line is busy" and then disconnects. This is not a technical glitch; it is a common tactic used by spammers to ping numbers and confirm they are active, adding you to a list for future scam calls.
A legitimate caller experiencing a technical issue would not have a pre-recorded message stating the line is busy. This is a deliberate system designed to verify that your phone number is active and answered by a real person.
"Cogí la llamada pero no hable. Una grabadora dijo 'the line is busy'. Bloquie el número."
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 939 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Puerto Rico, United States. Area code 939 is a general purpose code that has been in service since September 15, 2001.
Most common 939 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 Puerto Rico, or have a 939 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 Puerto Rico area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: