The 971 area code is used for fake healthcare debt collection and car warranty expiration calls. Scammers pretend you owe money for medical equipment or that your car coverage is ending.
Scam & Spam Phone Number Lookup:
Our database contains over 25 million Do Not Call and robocall complaints reported to the FTC.
Callers with heavy accents pretend to be from Apria Healthcare's billing department and claim you owe money for a CPAP machine or other medical equipment. They call from local 971 numbers, immediately ask you to confirm your date of birth and address, and pressure you for immediate payment by credit card or bank transfer. They become evasive when you ask to call them back at an official company number. They use your personal information to verify fake accounts and your payment details to steal your money. Apria's official billing department uses toll-free 888 numbers, not local area codes.
"Called claiming to be Apria wanting to talk about my account. Immediately tried to gather identifying information to 'verify my account'. When I asked them to send me an official email and I would call them back they tried to give me this number again."
Robocalls claim your vehicle warranty is expiring and this is their "final notice" or "last attempt to call" before they close your file. They call at inappropriate hours like 6 or 7 AM, hang up if you ask to be removed, and when you call back the number "cannot be completed as dialed." They use high-pressure tactics to sell you expensive third-party service contracts that are often useless. These calls are not from your car's manufacturer. Official warranty information arrives by mail, not harassing robocalls.
"This number calls me every morning at 7:00 am. Sometimes no message, sometimes partial robo recording about last attempt to call (funny, they keep calling) and will be closing account on auto warranty."
A robocall leaves a hostile message claiming you have been "uncooperative" and that legal action is imminent, sometimes saying they are from "Global Mediation" or will be "alerting local authorities." They tell you to call a different phone number to resolve the "matter" and refuse to provide a company name or case details. They use fear to trick you into calling back where they demand money to stop fake legal proceedings. Real process servers do not call ahead. They show up.
"I ignored it, left a voicemail saying i have been uncooperative and they will be alerting local authorities"
Scammers pretend to be from the Social Security Administration or IRS, claiming your Social Security Number has been compromised or used in a crime. They threaten immediate arrest if you don't comply, may spoof caller ID to look like a legitimate government number, and demand you resolve the issue over the phone. They use your personal information to steal your identity and your payments to enrich themselves. The Social Security Administration and IRS initiate contact by mail, never by threatening phone calls.
"Says they're from the Dept of Social Security and want a call back before I am arrested for fraud regarding my number."
Someone with broken English calls from a noisy "boiler room" call center claiming to be from "Medical Supply" or "Pharmacy Services." They ask if you have back, knee, or shoulder pain and offer to send you a "free" medical brace. The caller ID shows generic names like "Medical Supply" and you can hear many operators talking in the background. They use your Medicare or insurance information to bill your provider thousands of dollars for cheap, unnecessary equipment. This is Medicare fraud.
"Want to give me a back brace for the back pain they believe I must have. When I told him I didn't have back pain and they started asking about my shoulders and arms. If it's not a scam it's a nuisance or insurance fraud."
The caller starts with a simple question like "Can you hear me okay?" or "Am I speaking with...?" designed to get you to say "Yes." They immediately hang up after you respond or the call comes from an unknown number with no other context. They record your "Yes" and edit it to create fake audio authorization for services you never agreed to. When you dispute charges, they present the doctored recording as proof you consented.
"They asked 'Can you hear me okay' as soon as I said 'I can' they hung up. They are calling people wanting to record 'yes' so they can use it."
Area Code 971 phone numbers reported as unwanted calls to the FTC in the last 30 days.
(971) 462-3211
Other
20 reports ·
(971) 320-1615
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
4 reports ·
(971) 349-4430
Other
2 reports ·
(971) 346-9225
Other
2 reports ·
(971) 265-4586
Dropped call or no message
2 reports ·
(971) 346-9235
Other
2 reports ·
(971) 309-3854
Other
2 reports ·
(971) 228-2416
Other
2 reports ·
(971) 217-9927
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
2 reports ·
(971) 571-5485
Other
2 reports ·
No, area code 971 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Oregon, United States. Area code 971 is a general purpose code that has been in service since October 1, 2000.
You're likely experiencing "Neighbor Spoofing." Scammers fake their caller ID to display local or familiar numbers. If you live in or near Oregon (Portland, Salem, Gresham), or have a 971 phone number yourself, scammers know you're more likely to answer what appears to be a local call.
Other Oregon area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: