Washington DC's 202 area code is frequently used for Social Security and IRS impersonation scams. Fraudsters pretend to be federal agents to threaten you with arrest or offer fake government grants.
Scam & Spam Phone Number Lookup:
Our database contains over 25 million Do Not Call and robocall complaints reported to the FTC.
Callers claim your Social Security Number has been suspended due to fraudulent activity and threaten you with an immediate arrest warrant for crimes like drug trafficking or money laundering. They create specific scenarios like a car registered in your name being found in Texas with "51lbs of cocaine" and demand you withdraw all your money from your bank or purchase gift cards. They use your panic to steal your bank account information and drain your accounts. Real officers do not call first. They show up.
"Said I had 37 bank accounts open in Texas and that a car under my name was found with 51lbs of cocaine. They asked who I was banking with and how much money I had in my account and to withdraw all of it because they were going to suspend anything attached to my social security number."
Scammers call claiming to be IRS agents with fake names like "Agent John Smith" or "Jason Oconner" and provide fake badge numbers like "743212". They accuse you of tax evasion or fraud, threaten that sheriffs are on their way to arrest you, and demand immediate payment of specific amounts like "$5,241.00" over the phone using prepaid cards or wire transfers. They use your payment information to steal additional money from your accounts. The real IRS contacts taxpayers by mail, never by threatening phone calls demanding gift cards.
"This number called claiming to be 'Jason Oconner' with the IRS. He gave his badge number as '743212'. Claimed I was being charged with 4 different counts of tax fraud and that the sheriffs department were on their way to my home to arrest me. To avoid being arrested I needed to pay them $5,241.00, over the phone."
Callers with heavy accents claim to be from the "US Treasury Grant Department" and tell you that you've been selected to receive a "free" grant, frequently for exactly $9,000, for being a good citizen who pays your taxes. They demand you first pay an "activation" fee around $200-$250 by purchasing a Google Play, Green Dot, or eBay gift card from stores like Dollar General or Walmart. They use the gift card numbers to steal that money and never send any grant. The U.S. government does not award unsolicited grants over the phone.
"Just like the others who said that they were selected... I would be awarded 9,000 dollars. All I would need to do was visit the nearest western union... I was told to purchase a Google play card worth $100 and activate it and to call back. That's when I knew it was BS."
Robocalls claim to be from "Apple Support" and warn that your iCloud account has been compromised or that suspicious activity has been detected. They call repeatedly, sometimes over 20 times in a single day, urging you to call them back or press 1 to speak with an agent. Their goal is to gain remote access to your computer to steal your personal and financial information. Apple does not make unsolicited calls about compromised accounts.
"Ten calls from various numbers this morning, all asking me to call 202-268-0000. Make that 11... Got a call while entering this complaint! I'm in IT and know this is a scam!"
Scammers impersonate agents from federal agencies like the DEA, FTC, or Homeland Security, claiming to investigate you for drug trafficking, sweepstakes fraud, or identity theft. They use official-sounding titles, fake badge numbers, and names like "Adam White" despite having thick foreign accents. They demand payment via iTunes or other gift cards to "make payments to create new documents" and clear up the fake legal trouble. They use your gift card codes to steal that money immediately. Federal agencies conduct investigations in person or by official mail, never by demanding gift card payments over the phone.
"Lady identified as angela from dept of homeland security and said my SSN was hacked and someone had created account under my name and transfering money to middle eastern country and asked me that they need to create new documents for me and asked me to go to local stores and create gift cards to make payments to create new documents for my identity."
Automated calls play recorded messages entirely in Chinese or Mandarin, sometimes spoofing their Caller ID to appear as the "Chinese Embassy". The messages create urgency about a "final notice" or an important document waiting for pickup, and pressing numbers connects you to live scammers who may not speak English. This targets the Chinese-American community to steal personal information and money through follow-up calls. The Chinese embassy does not call people about packages or legal documents.
"Received call from this number, it was a recording in Chinese saying there is an important document for me to be picked up from Chinese Embassy and this is the last and final notice. Press 2 for details."
Callers identifying as "local investors" named "Phil" or "Kristen" make unsolicited calls wanting to buy your home, promising quick, all-cash offers for your property "as-is". They say phrases like "I know this call is coming out of the blue" or "my wife and I are local investors" and call persistently from different numbers. They fish for personal information and pressure homeowners into selling below market value. Serious buyers work through licensed real estate agents, not persistent cold calls.
"Female with a pleasant voice left a voicemail. 'Hey this is Kristen, again! I'm so, so sorry for leaving those messages, obviously you guys would never consider selling. Well, anyways, my partner Phil and I are local investors and perhaps you know someone...'"
Area Code 202 phone numbers reported as unwanted calls to the FTC in the last 30 days.
(202) 769-3930
Dropped call or no message
16 reports ·
(202) 539-1826
Other
13 reports ·
(202) 769-2039
Dropped call or no message
12 reports ·
(202) 770-0514
Other
9 reports ·
(202) 769-4074
Dropped call or no message
9 reports ·
(202) 769-4961
Dropped call or no message
9 reports ·
(202) 900-1726
Other
8 reports ·
(202) 794-9506
Dropped call or no message
7 reports ·
(202) 539-7631
Dropped call or no message
7 reports ·
(202) 750-4338
Other
7 reports ·
No, area code 202 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Washington, D.C., United States. Area code 202 is a general purpose code that has been in service since January 1, 1947.
You're likely experiencing "Neighbor Spoofing." Scammers fake their caller ID to display local or familiar numbers. If you live in or near District of Columbia (Washington), or have a 202 phone number yourself, scammers know you're more likely to answer what appears to be a local call.
Other Washington, D.C. area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: