Philadelphia's 215 area code is heavily targeted by health insurance phishing and utility shutoff scams. Callers try to steal your medical information or frighten you into paying a fake electric bill.
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Our database contains over 25 million Do Not Call and robocall complaints reported to the FTC.
Scammers impersonate health insurance companies like United Healthcare, WellCare, BCBS, and Express Scripts using robocalls that know your name. The automated voice asks you to verify your full date of birth before proceeding, or they offer "free" medical supplies like back braces, claiming Medicare will pay while threatening to remove you from Medicare eligibility if you don't cooperate. They use your personal information to switch your health plans or open fraudulent accounts in your name. Your real insurance company already has your birth date and won't ask an automated system to collect it on an outbound call.
"I received a call from 215-302-4762 claiming it was my health insurance company. An automated voice knew my name and proceeded to ask me for my date of birth!"
Callers impersonate Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO), often spoofing PECO's real number on caller ID. They offer a 30% discount on your bill for being a loyal customer or threaten to shut off your power in 30-45 minutes for overdue payment. The caller typically has a heavy foreign accent and sounds like they're in a noisy call center, and they hang up immediately when you question why they don't already have your account information. They use your PECO account number to switch your energy supplier without your permission or steal payment information. PECO sends multiple written notices before any disconnection and doesn't make outbound calls offering unsolicited discounts.
"Claimed to be PECO calling to save me 30% on my bill because I consistently pay my bill on time. Asked me for my account number at which point I told them they should know that since they know I pay my bill on time. They hung up immediately."
A robocall claims your Social Security Number has been suspended due to fraudulent activity, often "at the Texas border." The message threatens that ignoring the call will lead to an arrest warrant being issued by a magistrate judge or the IRS, and instructs you to "press 1 to speak with an officer" to avoid legal consequences. They use the fear to trick you into giving them money or personal information to "resolve" the fake suspension. The Social Security Administration never calls to threaten benefits or arrest. Federal agencies communicate through registered mail, not threatening robocalls.
"I had a (recorded) voicemail from this # - said my SS# was suspended, and to press '1' to clear the matter up. It also stated I was going to be arrested by FBI and court proceedings."
Scammers call claiming a legal complaint has been filed against you or that you have an outstanding debt requiring immediate action. They threaten lawsuits, court appearances, and wage garnishment, refuse to provide their company name or mailing address, and become rude or hang up when you refuse to verify your SSN or personal information. They try to collect on old, invalid, or completely fake debts by pressuring you into paying immediately over the phone. Legitimate debt collectors must provide written validation notices as required by federal law and cannot legally threaten arrest or lawsuits they don't intend to pursue.
"Got a call threatening legal action and multiple pending cases... would not let me get a word in then hung up. My father passed away 3 years ago. They talk over you and are very rude."
You receive a robocall claiming to be from Amazon or Apple support to confirm a large, suspicious purchase you didn't make, such as an "Iphone 11" for $700 or a "Samsung Gallexy watch." The message instructs you to press 1 or call a specific number if you didn't authorize the charge, or claims your Apple iCloud account has been "breeched." They use this fake urgency to steal your account login or credit card information when you call to "cancel" the fake order. Amazon and Apple don't call customers to confirm purchases. All order confirmations come via email or app notifications.
"Got a call from this number stating they were from Amazon and there was a charge for $700 for an Iphone 11-"
These callers target local businesses, asking to speak directly with the owner, CEO, or CFO. They claim to be from Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, the "City of Philadelphia," or a group called "Business Connection" inquiring about an "upcoming move." They won't state the specific purpose of their call, claim to be "updating vendor records" but can't name their department, and become evasive, pushy, or hang up when questioned. They mine this information to verify executive names and sell the data to other telemarketers. Legitimate university or city representatives clearly identify themselves, their department, and won't hang up when asked for basic verification.
"Yeah, he called me and said that 'I work with the University of Pennsylvania and I am updating our vendor records'; I said, OK but what company are YOU from? He would not answer and just kept trying to get our owner's name!"
Area Code 215 phone numbers reported as unwanted calls to the FTC in the last 30 days.
(215) 828-0077
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
10 reports ·
(215) 434-7983
Dropped call or no message
5 reports ·
(215) 500-8705
Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
5 reports ·
(215) 995-2593
No Subject Provided
5 reports ·
(215) 234-1852
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
3 reports ·
(215) 996-7534
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
3 reports ·
(215) 325-5923
Other
3 reports ·
(215) 654-4733
Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends
3 reports ·
(215) 709-7492
Other
2 reports ·
(215) 642-0814
Other
2 reports ·
No, area code 215 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Pennsylvania, United States. Area code 215 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 Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Levittown, Lansdale), or have a 215 phone number yourself, scammers know you're more likely to answer what appears to be a local call.
Other Pennsylvania area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: