What are Allegheny County Area Codes?
Numbering Plan Areas (NPAs) are areas within a state divided according to the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) and identified by three-digit number strings. These strings of three-digit codes that differentiate NPAs are known as area codes and appear at the beginning of American phone numbers. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) implements the addition of area codes in the state.
The three active area codes currently covering Allegheny County are:
Area Code 412
Area Code 412 is a telephone area code in Pennsylvania. It serves the City of Pittsburgh and most of the surrounding towns and cities in Allegheny County. It also covers small portions of neighboring counties. Allegheny County municipalities covered by the 412 area code include Pittsburgh, Bethel Park, Braddock, Oakdale, Clairton, Verona, Homestead, and Leetsdale.
Area Code 878
Created in 2001, area code 878 is a Pennsylvania area code in the NANP that overlays the 412 and 724 area codes. It overlays both NPAs served by these area codes.
Area Code 724
Area Code 724 is a split from area code 412. It covers locations in several counties in the western parts of Pennsylvania, including many of the Allegheny County suburbs outside Pittsburgh.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Allegheny County?
Only a small portion of Allegheny County residents still use landlines for telephony services. According to an NCHS survey in 2018, an estimated 52.5% of the child population (below 18 years) in Pennsylvania used wireless-only telephony services. The number of children who solely used landlines for telecommunications made up about 2.3% of that demographic. Similarly, wireless telephony services were preferred by most adults in the state. An estimated 43.4% of the adult population used wireless-only phone services, while only a small number (4.3%) used landline-only telecommunication services.
Broadband internet access through wireless networks contributed to the widespread adoption of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services in Allegheny County. VoIP allows voice calls over the internet between two or more people at considerably low rates. With the high-speed internet services available in the county, many phone users now prefer making voice and video calls with VoIP services.
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile have varying levels of coverage in Allegheny County. In Pittsburgh, all these four carriers provide relatively good coverage. The phone carrier with the best coverage in Pittsburgh is Verizon. It covers about 90% of the city. T-Mobile and AT&T both provide 78% coverage, while Sprint offers 88% coverage.
What are Allegheny County Phone Scams?
Phone scams are frauds committed through regular phone calls and robocalls. Scammers take advantage of residents' ignorance to steal their money and personal information. Most cases of phone scams involve individuals posing as representatives of government agencies and other legitimate companies. Reverse phone lookups can help residents of Allegheny County verify the identities of callers that sound suspicious.
The Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General is committed to protecting residents from the deceptive acts of scammers. County residents can sign up to receive real-time consumer scam alerts. Residents can complain online to the Bureau of Consumer Protection Unit of the Attorney General's Office if they fall victim to phone scams. Reporting scams online to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is also an option available to county residents.
Common phone scams in Allegheny County include:
What are Sex Offender Scams?
The Allegheny County Sheriff's Office warns residents to be wary of sex offender scams. In this phone scam, persons who claim to be officers of the Sheriff's Office accuse unsuspecting sex offenders of not complying with registration requirements. They inform their targets that arrest warrants were issued for them but offer to help if they send money. If someone calls with this claim and you suspect it might be a scam, a quick reverse phone lookup may confirm the caller's identity. Call the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office on (412) 350-4714 to report the caller's phone number, and other information provided during the conversation. Know that the only way to resolve sex offender registration issues is to appear at the registration venue.
What are Electrical Power Phone Scams?
If someone claims to be calling from your power company and makes unusual demands, odds are the person is a scammer. Do a quick phone number lookup to confirm the caller's real identity and contact your power company for verification. Power scammers will claim that you owe unpaid balances and threaten to shut off your electricity. They request to take your credit card information on the phone to clear your outstanding balances or risk losing power supply. Power companies in Pennsylvania do not conduct business with residents over the phone. If you have fallen victim to this scam, file a complaint online with the FTC or report the incident to the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office on (412) 350-4714.
What are Federal Court Scams?
Federal Court phone scam comes in different variations. Whatever form it takes, it aims to obtain money and personal information illegally. In most cases, a potential victim receives a voicemail purportedly from the Federal Court. The voicemails inform scam targets of missed court dates or unpaid fines. They sound convincing enough and insist that the targets call back or risk arrest. You can run the number through applications that provide phone number lookup free services to find out who called.
If you return the call, the scammer will threaten you with arrest if you fail to send money. Typically, they ask their victims to send money via wire transfers or prepaid debit cards. Residents should know that the Federal Courts do not call nor request for payments over the phone. If such scammers contact you, call the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General on (717) 787-3391 to report the encounters.
What are Jury Duty Scams?
The Allegheny County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) sometimes makes phone calls to residents, but it will never request fine payments outside the courthouse. Scammers pose as employees of the ACSO to inform residents of missed jury duties and threaten them with arrests unless they pay certain fines. They ask their targets to purchase cash vouchers or green dot money cards to pay these fines. Do not send money to anyone who claims to work for the Sheriff's Office and requests payment via suspicious channels. If you fall victim to a jury duty scam, report the call details to the County Sheriff's Office on 412) 350-4714 for investigation. You can also file a complaint with the FTC by calling 1 (888) 382-1222.
What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Robocalls are automated phone calls that deliver pre-recorded messages. Robocalls account for the largest number of consumer complaints to the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission. While most robocalls are legitimate, an increasing number are targeted at conning residents. Residents can utilize applications that provide suspicious phone number lookup services if they are pestered by unsolicited calls. Take the following actions if you receive a robocall:
- Hang up. Do not press any number as it usually instructs. If you do, it will lead to more messages and set you up for more calls.
- Contact your phone company to know if it offers call blocking services. If they do, request to block the robocall number. Many phone companies offer this option at no cost.
- Add your phone number to Pennsylvania Do Not Call List and the National Do Not Call Registry. The robocalls that come through to your phone after registrations are potential scams.
- Call the FTC on 1 (888) 382-1222 or report online to file a formal complaint.
How to Spot and Report Allegheny County Phone Scams
Scammers are persistently thinking of deceptive ways to obtain consumers’ personal and financial information. Allegheny County residents can avoid phone scams if they look out for the following red flags when receiving calls from unknown numbers:
- Con artists will request for upfront fees to send prize winnings. No legitimate company will ask winners for upfront payments to claim prizes. If it is a prize, it has to be free.
- Scammers demand payments via channels that are hard to trace. They typically give the options of wire transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, and prepaid debit cards.
- They call and pose as government officials to request that you provide personal information such as social security numbers. No real government employee will make such a request over an unsolicited phone call.
- Scammers deceive you with highly attractive offers. Never be in haste to jump at offers during a phone call with a stranger. Always seek more information and clarification, and the opinion from a third-party.
- Fraudsters will not give you time to think through what they offer. They claim to have limited time and ask you to decide immediately. It is only a ploy to push you into making poor decisions. Callers with legitimate offers will give you time to think before making decisions.
- If you ask questions during a phone conversation, but your caller can not, or will not, answer them, it is most definitely a phone scam. Hang up immediately.
- Someone who alleges to work for local law enforcement and threatens you with arrest immediately if you fail to pay a fine. Odds are it is a phone scam. Law enforcement agencies do not request payment of fines by phone calls and will not threaten residents over the phone.
Allegheny County residents who receive suspicious calls can use search engines that offer reverse phone lookup services to research those callers. Such services can reveal callers’ identities and help to protect residents from falling victim to phone scams.
Government agencies are making great effort to ensure consumers' protection. These agencies include:
Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General - As the top law enforcement official, the Attorney General is responsible for ensuring public safety and upholding the rule of law. The Office of the Attorney General educates residents on the need to be vigilant to avoid falling victim to scams. Residents who lose funds or divulge confidential information to scammers can file complaints with the Attorney General's Office or call (717) 787-3391.
Federal Trade Commission - This commission ensures consumer protection in partnership with law enforcement agencies. The FTC advises residents to enroll their numbers on the Do Not Call Registry if they wish to stop receiving unsolicited calls. Residents that have been tricked by phone scammers may file complaints with the FTC or call 1 (888) 382-1222.
Federal Communications Commission - The FCC, in its quest to protect consumers from illegal robocalls, provides tips on how to stop unwanted robocalls. They regularly initiate consumer protection policies to confront different scams in the United States. Persons who have been victims of robocall or phone spoofing scams can file complaints with the FCC.
Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office - As part of its drive to combat phone scams in Allegheny County, the Sheriff’s Office publishes scam alerts on various platforms. It also offers a crime prevention program for interested residents of the county. You can report all fraudulent calls to the Sheriff’s office on (412) 350-4714 for investigation.