Broward County's 954 area code is being used for arrest warrant threats and Medicare phishing. Callers pretend to be police or health officials 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 954 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof Florida (Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 954 scams based on user comments:
Scammers are robocalling South Florida residents claiming your Social Security Number (SSN) has been compromised or used for fraud at the Texas border. The recording threatens that your SSN will be suspended and a case filed against you, leading to your arrest by police unless you press 1 to speak with an "officer" immediately.
The Social Security Administration will never call you to threaten your benefits or tell you to wire money, send cash, or put money on gift cards. They communicate through official U.S. Mail, not with threatening phone calls or robocalls.
"I received a call from 954-239-5641 regarding suspicious activity with my Social Security Number (SSN). I knew it was a fake call so when they asked me for my SSN I told them they should have since they called me and they hung up. When I called the number back it said the number was a non-working number."
Residents are being bombarded by robocalls and live agents claiming to be from "the Health Department," "Medicare Advantage Plus," or a "Medicare provider." Callers, often using names like "Dean," "Kate," "Jennifer," or "Isaac," will state the call is "on a recorded line" and then try to phish for your Medicare number by offering free back braces, diabetic supplies, or a "Medicare Plus card."
Legitimate government agencies like the Health Department or Medicare do not cold-call residents to offer products or ask for personal information. These calls are an attempt to get your Medicare number for fraudulent billing purposes.
"Hello, this is Isaac calling about Medicare plus card.... did not listen to any more, hung up on him. Have a good number of these 954 numbers blocked (over 30) and they still find new numbers to use to pester me. I don’t even say hello, I just pick up the phone, wait for them to speak, and hang up."
This aggressive scam involves callers spoofing local police department numbers or claiming to be from firms like "US Legal Support" or "CFR and associates." They falsely claim a complaint has been filed against you for an old debt or a bad check and threaten to issue an arrest warrant, serve you papers at home or work, or file a lien against you if you don't pay immediately.
Real law enforcement does not call ahead to warn you about an arrest warrant. Legitimate debt collectors must provide you with a written notice and cannot legally threaten you with jail time for consumer debt.
"I received the same call and experience as above. Was showing up as Arlington Police Dept. Said I had several warrants out for my arrest for outstanding debt and I needed to turn myself in by 2:00 tomorrow. They gave me a case number and said if I settled the issue...I needed to call US Legal Support... YES, It Is A SCAM...."
This cruel scam targets seniors by having someone call pretending to be their grandson or other relative. The caller, often crying, claims to have been in a car accident, broken their nose (to explain their different voice), and been jailed. They then pass the phone to a fake attorney, sometimes named "Christopher Adams," who demands thousands of dollars for bail, urging you to keep it a secret from the rest of the family.
This is a classic imposter scam that relies on manipulating your emotions. Always verify an emergency situation with another family member before taking any action or sending money.
"Our 'grandson' called crying about a car accident in which he had a broken nose and a 6 month pregnant woman was hurt. He need to pay his fine of $8000 or spend two weeks in jail - don't tell my dad. I spoke with an 'attorney' Christopher Adams who said the fine could be reduced... all I had to do was give them my routing number and account number."
One of the most frequent nuisance calls in the 954 area is the automated robocall about your car's extended warranty expiring. These calls are often made about cars you haven't owned in years. The goal is to pressure you into buying an overpriced and often worthless service contract.
Legitimate companies you do business with will typically contact you via mail with specific information about your vehicle. Unsolicited robocalls are almost always from third-party sellers with no affiliation to your car's brand.
"2/3/4 times a week, I get a call from this number about an extended warranty for a car I haven’t owned for over 8 years! I continually tell the very same person to take me off whatever lists he has and to not call me any more. He will call again tomorrow."
Callers are falsely claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, telling victims they've won millions of dollars and a new Mercedes or Rolls Royce. The catch is that to receive the prize, you must first pay hundreds of dollars for "taxes" or "fees," usually by sending a money order or Western Union transfer. One name frequently used by the scammers is "Robin Smith."
Publishers Clearing House never calls winners in advance to ask for money. Their famous "Prize Patrol" shows up at your door with a check, balloons, and cameras, completely by surprise. Any request for payment is a definite scam.
"Person claims you win $255,000 and to go to a local Walmart to send $950 Western Union. I called him out and he asked me if I thought his voice was sexy. CREEPY!!!"
Scammers call with offers for pre-approved loans, sometimes for large amounts like $25,000, from fake companies like "Community Loan and Trust." To finalize the loan and have the money deposited, they insist you must first pay a fee for "security deposit insurance" or processing. They instruct you to pay this fee by purchasing a prepaid GoBank or Google Play gift card for amounts like $150 or $250.
No legitimate lender will ever ask you to pay a fee with a gift card. Gift cards are like cash—once you give the numbers to a scammer, the money is gone and untraceable. Legitimate loan fees are typically deducted from the loan amount itself.
"Calls four times an hour starting at seven am. Wants to give me a loan they say. Just buy a google card for $250. they say for some fee. I say you are blood sucking lowlife scammers and I am not interested."
Callers identifying themselves as "Noel with vacation sell out" or representing "Grand Caribbean cruises" will leave voicemails or send texts offering a "free luxury Bahamas cruise." They claim you can occupy unused cabin space and only need to pay for port fees and taxes, usually around $130 to $198. This is a high-pressure sales tactic to get your credit card information for a low-quality trip with many hidden costs.
While cruise lines do run promotions, they don't typically use robocalls to give away free trips. These offers are usually designed to lock you into a high-pressure timeshare presentation or a trip with numerous hidden fees that make it anything but free.
"THEY CALL AT LEAST ONE TIME A DAY... CALL STATES, 'YOU HAVE WON A CRUISE ON CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE.... IT IS $99.00 COST PER PERSON... AND RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TO PAY PORT TAXES, WHAT IS YOUR VISA CC NUMBER FOR THE SUM OF $198.00 ?' HANG UP !"
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 954 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Florida, United States. Area code 954 is a general purpose code that has been in service since September 11, 1995.
Most common 954 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 Florida, or have a 954 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 Florida area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: