How to protect yourself from area code 325 spam calls

Understanding area code 325

The 325 area code covers an extensive part of west-central Texas and includes such cities as Abilene, Brownwood, San Angelo, Sweetwater, Kingsland, Brady, Ballinger, and Snyder. Located in the Central time zone, it caters to an estimated population of over 1 million inhabitants.

The 325 code was introduced in 2003 to meet the escalating need for additional phone numbers in the Texas region and relieve the pressure on area code 925. It doesn’t have an overlay and is the only code covering the area.

Caller ID spoofing and its impact

It’s important to understand that a telephone number starting with the 325 area code doesn’t necessarily mean the person on the other end is currently in that area. Modern technologies allow you to make a call from any phone number, regardless of where you actually are. This has been especially beneficial to online businesses that want to have local numbers to attract potential customers.

However, this has also been extremely beneficial to scammers. In a technique known as caller ID spoofing, fraudsters falsify the phone number displayed on the receiver’s caller ID display. By doing so, they increase the chances of having potential victims answer their calls due to seeing what seems like a known or local number.

Subsequently, it’s important to remember that seeing a familiar phone number or area code doesn’t guarantee the legitimacy of the call.

Identifying spam calls from area code 325

Since not all calls from the 325 area code are legit communications, it’s important to know how to recognize spam and scam attacks. Here’s what you should watch out for:

An old but still very commonly used spam technique is robocalls, which feature a previously recorded message instead of live conversations. These calls can range from telemarketing offers to nefarious phone scams, usually aiming to extract personal information or money from unsuspecting victims.

Be wary of any calls that use high-pressure tactics and demand quick action. Fraudsters are well known for impersonating government officials, bank workers, tech support, law enforcement, medical service providers, and other entities to urge money transfers, extract sensitive data like your Social Security number, or get access to your devices. Such calls tend to create a false sense of urgency, pushing you to respond swiftly without allowing time to think or confirm legitimacy.

On the other hand, be also wary of lottery wins and rewards received without your participation or deals that sound too good to be true. Scammers will claim you need to pay a fee to release your winnings or carry out a transaction – only to disappear with your money and credit card details.

Note that scam calls may be highly personalized. Fraudsters can easily find loads of your personal data online, from home address and family members to place of employment and credit score range, to craft easy-to-believe scenarios and trick you into thinking the issue is a real deal.

Moreover, with the advancement of AI, criminals can now imitate the voices of your friends and family. The cloned voice will claim something terrible has happened and the person needs urgent help, usually in the form of financial transactions. As AI scams are growing rapidly, it’s advisable to set some kind of password with your close ones to use in real emergencies.

Most reported spam numbers in the 325 area code

Even though spam calls are not a new phenomenon, the advance of the Internet has made reporting them very easy. Numerous sites and apps allow people to flag phone numbers as spam or potential scams, helping others stay informed and protected.

The following phone numbers have recently been reported as spam to the FTC (note that they aren’t flagged as scams by the FTC itself, but reported by consumers):

• 3254463451
• 3252614153
• 3256587390
• 3254255086
• 3252376879

While various sites for reporting spam and phone scams flag numerous numbers as negative ones, certain numbers come up more often than others:

• 3252890635
• 3252447821
• 3254395361
• 3259990784
• 3252727303

How to block unwanted calls from area code 325

There are two ways you can block unsolicited communications: blocking the phone number in your call history and using tools to prevent spammy numbers from getting through to you in the first place. Going with the second option will decrease the amount of unsolicited calls you receive in general, thus lowering the risk of being defrauded over the phone.

For that, ask your phone carrier what relevant services they provide. The features can range from blocking incoming communication from unknown numbers to blocking specific area codes, depending on the carrier. If possible, go for a provider that uses the STIR/SHAKEN protocol which helps to authenticate caller ID information and protect against phishing and robocalls.

Next, install reputable apps that specialize in filtering calls and blocking spam numbers and robocalls from reaching you. Such include Robokiller and Nomorobo.

If a spammer manages to ring through to you, you can block the number on your device. Note that it will only stop further communications from this particular blocked number and won’t affect other incoming unsolicited calls.

If you want to block communications from all unknown numbers, most modern cell phones provide such features. Note, however, that it will block all numbers not saved in your contact list and you might miss appointment confirmations or cancellations, delivery updates, and other such calls.

Tips to prevent spam calls

Combating spam requires both knowledge and proactive measures. The first and foremost thing to do to prevent unwanted calls is to keep your phone number private. Refrain from making it publicly available on social media, online forums, or any other pages, and share it only with reputable companies instead. Use a different number for 3rd party services, online surveys, social media, and non-essential apps. A good idea is to get a burner phone – a prepaid disposable phone – and use it whenever you can avoid sharing your primary number.

Another crucial step in keeping your phone number private is removing it from data brokers AKA people-search sites. These websites make your contact details easily available online, along with your home address, family ties, net worth, assets, credit score range, and other sensitive data. Having such a variety of personal details exposed puts you at numerous risks including phishing, stalking, harassment, and even identity theft. Note that opting out once isn’t enough as data brokers frequently update their databases and your records might reappear after a while.

You can also add your phone number to the Do Not Call Registry which will decrease the amount of spam by stopping telemarketing calls from legit companies. However, this won’t stop incoming communications from scammers simply because they don’t follow laws.

Arm yourself with knowledge regarding prevalent phone scams and keep abreast of evolving fraud schemes. Staying in the know will help you detect suspicious calls before any damage is done.

What to do if you answer a scam call

In case you inadvertently pick up a phone call from a scammer, promptly hang up. Interacting with the caller will increase the chances of being targeted in the future. Don’t answer even with a simple “Yes” to their inquiries as scammers record the conversations and might use the recording to impersonate you. Criminals can feed the recording to AI tools which have become sophisticated enough to learn the patterns of your voice and imitate it.

If you’re not sure whether the phone call is legit, it’s better to stay cautious and not give out any personal information. Keep in mind that legit businesses never ask for sensitive details like SSN, credit card numbers, or answers to security questions for your accounts over the phone.

Furthermore, remember that scammers often rely on high-pressure tactics and intimidation to force you to act quickly without thinking properly. If you’re contacted about an issue that requires money transfers or revealing sensitive personal data, hang up – then contact the entity through established official channels and check whether the issue is legit.

Once you’re sure that the number contacting you belongs to scammers, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to aid in combating and curbing future fraudulent activities. You can also report it to your service provider to help them protect other customers.

Managing spam text messages

While being bombarded with spam text messages can be frustrating, they are easier to deal with than spam calls. For one, there’s less pressure to reply instantly and you can take time to check if the issue is legit. Secondly, texts are easier to ignore than a live person on the line and you’re less likely to be engaged or manipulated.

However, it’s still important to stay vigilant and look out for common red flags to avoid making accidental mistakes and becoming a victim.

Scam messages frequently include links that prompt for payment details or personal information. It is essential to thoroughly review unsolicited texts and refrain from following any included hyperlinks or downloading any attached files. These may direct you to phishing domains or install malicious programs on your device.

Interacting with spam text messages can also signal to scammers that your telephone number is active and trigger a surge in similar unwanted communications. Employing spam filters and utilizing third-party apps are practical strategies for controlling and decreasing the amount of incoming spam, be it messages or calls.