The 984 area code is often used for fake legal threats and fraudulent police donation drives. Callers try to scare you with warrants or guilt you into donating to charities that do not exist.
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 984 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, Cary) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 984 scams based on user comments:
Scammers are leaving voicemails claiming legal action is being taken against you. They threaten to serve you papers at your home and work, or even issue an arrest warrant, unless you call them back immediately to resolve a supposed issue. These callers often refuse to identify what company they work for and may use menacing language about forwarding your information to "appropriate channels."
Legitimate process servers do not call ahead to warn you; their job is to deliver legal documents in person without prior notice. Law enforcement agencies never call to threaten you with an arrest warrant or demand payment to avoid legal action.
"A Threatening message left on my Husband's work cell phone about legal issues against me saying if there is no response I will be served both at home and work addresses & it will be too late for me to resolve issue."
Scammers are robo-calling residents in the Raleigh-Cary area, claiming to collect donations for the "Police Benevolent Association" or other first responders. When questioned, they follow a script, cannot provide specific details about the police department they support, and refuse to provide a mailing address for donations, insisting you must pay with a debit card over the phone.
Legitimate charities will gladly accept a check and will never pressure you for an immediate over-the-phone payment. They are also required to provide you with information about their organization upon request.
"Claiming to be Police Benevolent Association, but questions regarding the association were unanswered. Speaking from a script... I asked them for a mailing address so I can send a check ? He said 'we only accept debit cards !'"
You may receive frequent, unsolicited calls about your car's "factory warranty" being about to expire. These are often canned recordings that don't know the make, model, or year of your car. The callers are trying to sell you an expensive and often worthless extended service contract.
Your vehicle manufacturer will not contact you via robocall to sell you an extended warranty. These calls are from third-party sellers that are not affiliated with your car's brand.
"Factory warranty is about to expire on a car that is 6 years old. Called MULTIPLE TIMES, MULTIPLE DIFFERENT DAYS. SCAM 100%"
A caller, often identifying himself as "Michael Porter," will leave a message stating you have won one of several "major prizes," like a car. The message creates false urgency, claiming it is the "last attempt" to contact you and it's in your "best interest to call back." This is a tactic to get you to call back and provide personal information or pay a fee to claim a nonexistent prize.
You cannot win a contest you did not enter. Furthermore, legitimate contests are legally forbidden from requiring you to pay taxes or fees to them directly in order to receive your prize.
"Received many calls from Michael Porter states I have received one of five large prizes. It would be in my best interest to call back. This would be his last attempt.....every call is his last attempt"
Residents are receiving unsolicited text messages, primarily from 984-206-6005. The message reads, "Reply Y or YES to confirm your account and turn on notifications. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to optout." This is a phishing attempt to confirm your number is active or to enroll you in unwanted services that may have fees.
Legitimate companies will identify themselves in account confirmation texts and usually send them immediately after you've taken a specific action, like signing up for a service. Unsolicited, generic confirmation requests are almost always scams.
"Reply Y or YES to confirm your account and turn on notifications. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to optout. The sender is not in your contact list."
Callers are aggressively pushing health insurance or medical alert devices, sometimes claiming to be from "Senior Care" or a "Medicare Helpline." They can be incredibly rude, even swearing at residents who refuse their offers. In some cases, these callers may possess some of your personal health information, making the call seem more legitimate than it is.
Official Medicare representatives will never call you to sell you products or ask for your personal information unless you have given them prior permission to do so. High-pressure sales tactics and abusive language are clear signs of a scam.
"Got call from this number they claim to be from Senior Care told em I'm not a senior and im not interested. Guy got aggressive I asked him to take me off your list. The guy then said f*** you a**hole n proceeded to swear at me."
This scam starts with the caller asking, "Can you hear me okay?" or a similar question designed to get you to say "Yes." They record your affirmative response and can use it as a voice signature to authorize fraudulent charges on your phone bill or credit card. Callers may identify themselves as being from a known company, like Time Warner Cable, to gain your trust.
While the threat of a voice signature scam is real, it's difficult for scammers to use successfully. However, the primary goal is often to verify that your number is active for future scam calls, so it's best not to engage at all.
"The woman on other end says this is a recorded call, then she will say can you hear me ok. They want you to say “Yes”. Then they will have your voice saying yes. DO Not SAY THE WORD YES."
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 984 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in North Carolina, United States. Area code 984 is a general purpose code that has been in service since April 30, 2012.
Most common 984 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 North Carolina, or have a 984 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 North Carolina area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: