Charlotte's 980 area code faces frequent fake legal threats and Social Security suspension scams. Callers claim you are in trouble with the law to pressure you into immediate payment.
Scam & Spam Phone Number Lookup:
Our database contains over 25 million Do Not Call and robocall complaints reported to the FTC.
Scammers pose as debt collectors or legal officials and threaten to contact your HR or Payroll department, issue warrants for your arrest, and mention a "pre-trial division" or "complaint notice" to scare you into paying a fake debt. They threaten to contact your employer or garnish wages over the phone, claim to be from a "pre-trial division" or "Legal Services" for a local county, refuse to provide details about the alleged debt until you confirm personal information, and use an aggressive or screaming tone to create panic. They use your confirmed personal information to make their threats seem more credible and pressure you into immediate payment. Official legal actions are delivered in person by a process server, not threatened in phone calls from call centers.
"Yes--they've called me and my mom, and the lady got REAL nasty, screaming 'GET OFF MY PHONE, GO TO COURT THEN, GO TO COURT THEN.' and hung up"
Callers claim to be from the Social Security Administration and state that your Social Security Number is being "suspended immediately" due to suspicious activity. They threaten that your Social Security Number will be suspended or cancelled, ask you to confirm your SSN over the phone, speak with foreign accents while claiming to be US government officers, and may mention helping with a Social Security Disability application you never started. They use your Social Security Number to steal your identity and access your government benefits. The Social Security Administration never calls to threaten benefits or claim your SSN has been suspended.
"Got a call from this number stating that my SS number would be suspended immediately. Upon speaking with a Foreign officer of that facility by the name of David, I informped him I would be reporting the number for fraudulent calls. He then hung up on me."
Robocallers falsely claim your vehicle's warranty is expired or about to expire, even if you don't own a car or have a warranty. They make vague claims about your "car warranty" without mentioning your vehicle's make or model, use recorded robocall messages prompting you to press a button, call you even if you don't own a vehicle, and become a "smart alec" or hang up when you ask to be put on their do not call list. They use your confirmed contact information to sell you overpriced extended warranty plans or pass your details to other telemarketers. These are unsolicited sales calls from third-party companies, not your car's manufacturer or dealership.
"Some form of car warranty scam...have REPEATEDLY told them we are on national DO NOT CALL LIST, they have been told to place us on THEIR DO not call list, and warned them again that this is it, we are reporting to NC Attorney Generals Office...smart alec on the phone as well."
Scammers pretend to be from Medicare or a "Medical Supply" company and make unsolicited calls offering "free" medical supplies or DNA testing kits. They ask you to confirm your Medicare number or Social Security digits, ask personal health questions about your "dry skin problem" or pain levels, and become belligerent and repeatedly ask "why" when you refuse their offer. They use your Medicare information to fraudulently bill the government for medical equipment you never received. Medicare will not call you to sell you products or services.
"had two calls from this number. they advised Medicare was sending free medical DNA kits. First time I advised I was not interested. Second call, I advised I was not interested and the guy calling asked me 'why.' I told him I didn't want it....again he asked me why, and started getting very belligerent."
Callers claim to collect donations for local North Carolina police or fire departments using Caller IDs like "Firefighter COA" or "POLICEOFFICER PA." They make cold calls asking for donations to support police or firefighters, pressure you to make an immediate donation over the phone, have noticeable delays in their responses suggesting a call center environment, and are unwilling to mail you information to research before donating. They pocket your donation money instead of sending it to any legitimate organization. Legitimate charities are happy to provide information in writing and encourage you to verify their credentials.
"A man says he's representing the police department and collecting monies... I told him I was skeptical that he could send me info and he lowered price to $15... He didn't want my address after that."
Callers target homeowners in the Charlotte area with unsolicited cash offers for their property, often lying by claiming they "drove by your house" when they have not. They make unsolicited calls or texts asking to buy your home for cash, falsely claim they "drove by your neighborhood" or that you want to sell, continue to call and text even after you've blocked their number or asked them to stop, and make generic offers without knowing any specifics about your property. They use high-pressure tactics to acquire properties for far below market value. These are large investment firms, not friendly local buyers who happened to see your home.
"Property buyer.... liars... scammers... says they drove by my house... i don't own a house"
Callers try to get a recording of your voice saying "yes" by asking "Can you hear me?" or another simple question to prompt a "yes" response. The first thing the caller says is "Can you hear me?" or a similar question, the line goes dead immediately after you respond, and the call comes from an unknown number with no other context. They edit your recorded "yes" to create fake verbal authorization for fraudulent charges or services. Scammers can make it sound like you agreed to purchase something you never wanted.
"picked up the phone; a lady speaking very good American-English said, 'this is the rewards department, can you hear me?' I said, 'yes I can' -- phone went dead. Afterwards, I discovered... there is a 'recording' scam -- they just want to record your voice saying 'yes'."
No, area code 980 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 980 is a general purpose code that has been in service since April 1, 2001.
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 (Charlotte, Concord, Gastonia), or have a 980 phone number yourself, scammers know you're more likely to answer what appears to be a local call.
Other North Carolina area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: