Spam Phone Numbers Reported to the FTC
Phone numbers recently reported from Texas to the FTC for making unwanted sales calls or robocalls:
| Phone Number | Complaints to FTC | Last Reported |
|---|---|---|
| (409) 218-5453 | ||
| (888) 905-1778 | ||
| (817) 909-3164 | ||
| (877) 578-1736 | ||
| (866) 666-1439 | ||
| (866) 771-4881 | ||
| (762) 778-6346 | ||
| (833) 662-5740 | ||
| (844) 515-1257 | ||
| (855) 357-2005 |
In May 2026, Texas residents filed 14,804 complaints to the FTC about phone numbers making unwanted calls and text messages, down 15% from the previous month.
Phone Scams in Texas
- Centerpoint & CPS Energy Utility Disconnection: Scammers spoofing real 713 and 800 utility numbers, accurately quoting recent bill amounts to threaten 30-minute power shutoffs.
- Whole Foods / DHL Secret Shopper ('Robert Zamora'): Text offers for $400/task evaluator jobs that send DHL packages with fake checks, demanding victims buy American Express gift cards.
- TWC $4,800 Stimulus Text ('Kevan Hill'): Smishing texts claiming the Texas Workforce Commission or US Treasury is issuing one-time $4,800 payments via a 'paying agent'.
- Bank of America Instant Callback Phishing: Extremely sophisticated scammers calling from 737-220-2450 just seconds after a customer hangs up with the real BoA privacy line.
- 'Troy Leighton' Merchant Services B2B Scam: Aggressive cold callers demanding owners fix a 'wholesale conversion leak' to trick businesses into switching credit card processors.
- DEA / Dallas Narcotics Extortion ('Angel Claudio'): Fake federal agents using extensive public records to threaten immediate arrest at federal courthouses unless fines are paid in Bitcoin.
- Texas County Court Summons (Harris/Bexar/Tarrant): 'Process servers' (e.g., Nelson Cruz & Associates) threatening to dispatch constables to workplaces to serve civil complaints.
Texas Consumer Protection Hotline: File a regional report directly with state authorities by calling (800) 621-0508.
Reverse Phone Number Lookup by Area Code
Top cities covered by each Texas area code to help you start your reverse phone lookup:
| Area Codes | Cities |
|---|---|
| 210/726 | San Antonio, Schertz, Universal City |
| 214/469/945/972 | Dallas, Plano, Garland |
| 254 | Killeen, Waco, Temple |
| 281/346/621/713/832 | Houston, Pasadena, Pearland |
| 281/346/713/832 | Houston, Pasadena, Pearland |
| 325 | Abilene, San Angelo, Brownwood |
| 361 | Corpus Christi, Victoria, Kingsville |
| 409 | Beaumont, Port Arthur, Galveston |
| 430/903 | Tyler, Longview, Sherman |
| 432 | Midland, Odessa, Big Spring |
| 512/737 | Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park |
| 682/817 | Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie |
| 806 | Lubbock, Amarillo, Plainview |
| 830 | New Braunfels, Del Rio, Eagle Pass |
| 915 | El Paso, Socorro, Horizon City |
| 936 | Conroe, Huntsville, Lufkin |
| 940 | Denton, Wichita Falls, Corinth |
| 956 | Laredo, Brownsville, McAllen |
| 979 | College Station, Bryan, Lake Jackson |
Texas Phone Numbers
Texas has approximately 39.9 million active phone numbers. Cell phones are the dominant type with about 34.2 million users, while traditional landlines are in decline with approximately 989,000 connections statewide. Internet phone services account for around 4.7 million numbers.
| Voice Subscriptions (thousands) | June 2023 | Dec 2023 | June 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile telephony | 33,151 | 33,870 | 34,178 |
| Local exchange telephone service | 1,322 | 1,204 | 989 |
| VoIP subscriptions | 4,700 | 4,705 | 4,727 |
| Total | 39,173 | 39,779 | 39,894 |
Texas Do No Call Registry
Texas residents and businesses can stop most unwanted telemarketing calls by registering with the state's "No Call Lists" through the Public Utility Commission-sponsored system at www.texasnocall.com. Texas offers two separate lists: the Statewide "Do Not Call" List for residential and wireless numbers, and the "Electric No Call" List specifically for business numbers targeting electric provider solicitations.
Registration is free and easy through the online portal available 24/7. The timing of when calls stop depends on your registration date - if you register between January-March, calls must stop by June 1st; April-June registration stops calls by September 1st; July-September stops calls by December 1st; and October-December registration stops calls by March 1st of the following year.
The state law includes standard exemptions for calls from businesses with established relationships, debt collection calls, calls you've requested, and calls from state licensees (like insurance or real estate agents) under specific conditions. Charity and political calls may also be exempt from these restrictions.
If telemarketers continue calling after the required waiting period, you can file complaints online at the Public Utility Commission's complaint portal or call 1-888-782-8477. This gives Texas residents robust local enforcement options alongside federal protections, helping identify which unknown calls may be violations worth reporting to state authorities.
Is Reverse Phone Lookup Legal in Texas?
Yes. Texas does not restrict the personal use of reverse phone lookup services. As the most populous US state with a comprehensive privacy law, Texas gives residents meaningful rights to control their data in lookup databases. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) prohibits using lookup results for employment, tenant, or credit decisions in every state. Texas's TDPSA provides additional state-level rights on top.
What Texas's Privacy Law Means for Lookup Services
The Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA, Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 541 et seq., enacted HB 4, 2023) took effect July 1, 2024. Texas covers nonprofits broadly and gives residents the right to opt out of personal data sales and targeted advertising, and rights to access, correct, delete, and port their data within a 45-day window. Small businesses that meet certain thresholds are exempt from some requirements, and the law applies an AG-enforced civil penalty regime rather than a private right of action.