What are Lebanon County Area Codes?
Area codes, also known as numbering plan areas, are the three-digit numbers that begin North American 10-digit phone numbers. Introduced as part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), they serve the purpose of identifying the telephone areas that callers fall into. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is charged with the responsibility of administering and implementing area codes in Lebanon County.
Lebanon County covers two area codes, NPA 717 and NPA 223. They both serve South Central Pennsylvania together with the Susquehanna Valley. Areas they cover include Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg metropolitan areas. They also cover most of the areas popularly referred to as Pennsylvania Dutch Country, which contains nearly 2,000,000 people. Since August 26, 2017, the dialing pattern for local calls within area code 717 and area code 223 has been ten digits.
Area Code 717
Area Code 717 was officially introduced in January 1947 as one of the earliest 86 area codes created by AT&T and the Bell System. When it was initially created, it covered the eastern half of the state, except for the Lehigh and Delaware valleys. Currently, it serves much of south-central Pennsylvania and has only a single overlay.
Area Code 223
Area code NANP 223 is the NANP overlay code for NPA 717. It was assigned in October 2016. However, it only went into official service in September 2017. Area code 223 is a General Purpose Code. Prior to the introduction of NPA 717, residents were allowed seven-digit dialing. However, the implementation of NPA 223 made 10-digit dialing mandatory.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Lebanon?
A 2018 National Center of Health Statistics survey estimated that 43.4% of the adult population (aged 18 and over) in Pennsylvania relied solely on wireless telephone services. In contrast, adults who relied on landlines alone amounted to 4.3% of the state. Among minors (under 18), users of wireless-only services were about 52.5%, while landline-only users amounted to 2.3% of the population. These figures are strong pointers indicating that cell phones have superseded landlines as the preferred choice of telephone service in Lebanon County.
The primary phone networks- AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, all offer relatively decent coverage for residents within the Lebanon County area. Several other Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) hosted on the major network operators also provide residents with good alternatives. So far, Verizon provides the best network in the state with 98% service coverage. AT&T is the second best with 70% coverage strength while T-mobile is the least with 58% coverage strength. However, cell phone service may also vary under certain conditions and in certain places. Carrier technology, landscape, service provider, phone model, tower locations all affect network strength. For example, service availability tends to be spotty in rural and densely populated areas.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has become a predominant feature in Lebanon County, with countless businesses and residents opting for it. VoIP technology allows residents to place phone calls over the internet by converting their voices into digital signals. VoIP services have gained widespread usage in recent times due to their strong points of affordability, stability, convenience, and flexibility in plans.
What are Lebanon County Phone Scams?
Lebanon County phone scams target county residents to obtain their money and personal information fraudulently. Reverse phone number lookups are helpful in identifying scammers and their activities. Common scams committed in Lebanon County include:
What are Lebanon County Law Enforcement Impersonation Scams?
Several variations of this scam exist, but they all boil down to the scammer posing as a law enforcement official. In most situations, the scammer claims to be from the Lebanon County Sheriff Office (LCSO). They tell the victim that they have missed jury duty or that they have a warrant for their arrest due to “serious offenses.”
Another common line is that their Social Security number has been stolen, which seems believable given the prevalence of data thefts. The scammer then requests money from the target through a gift card or wire transfer. They may also provide them with their credit card information to resolve the situation.
County residents are warned never to give out their sensitive information to strangers no matter the office they claim to be calling from. Targets of these scams are advised to contact the Lebanon County Sheriff’s Office or their local law enforcement agency to report the incidence. Scammers often spoof their Caller IDs to show up like the Sheriff’s Office. Reverse cell phone lookup services can be used to answer the question, “who is this number registered to?" Residents are asked to always contact the official line of any office mentioned over the phone before making transactions.
What are Lebanon County IRS Scams?
Scammers here most times take up fake identities and false IRS identification badge numbers while posing as employees from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The targets are usually taxpayers and recent immigrants. Scammers who use this tactic often already possess background information about the targets, making the call seem authentic.
The targets are told that they owe money, and they need to pay up immediately to avoid being arrested, deported, or have their licenses withdrawn. Many times, scammers become hostile and aggressive to make the targets cower in fear and give in. When the targets leave the phone unanswered, the scammers leave “urgent” callback requests for their targets. Usually, they will request payments through prepaid credit cards, wire transfers, or bitcoins.
For one, the IRS will never call you to solicit immediate payment of your taxes owed over the phone, nor will they ask for your sensitive bank information. Note that the IRS will rarely ever call to talk to you about taxes, except they have first mailed you a bill. Also, you will never be asked to pay your taxes without first giving you the chance to appeal or question the Office. If you get an IRS-related phishing call, file a complaint to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) or call them at 1(800) 366-4484. You can also report such scams on the IRS official website. A free reverse phone lookup service can easily identify if such calls are truly from the IRS.
What are Lebanon County Senior Citizens Scam?
This scam specifically targets senior citizens in the county. The scammers call their targets, telling different stories that can get them to release their financial or personal data. Sometimes, they request that their targets send money for unpaid taxes. Other times, they claim that they are attorneys representing a grandchild in custody. They tell the unsuspecting senior citizens to purchase gift cards and send them their pins to have the person released. Usually, to cover their traces, they request that the senior citizens keep the entire process a secret.
Scammers target people of all age grades provided they fit into their ideal victim type. Hence, residents, especially elders, are advised to be wary when asked to carry out financial transactions with unknown persons over the phone. Reverse phone number lookup searches can help verify Caller IDs and point out who called.
What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Robocalls are automated telephone calls initiated by computerized auto-dialers to deliver pre-recorded messages. Robocalls are typically sent on behalf of telemarketing companies and political parties. They are sometimes sent to deliver emergency calls. Spam calls are similar to robocalls in terms of the content of their messages. They deliver unsolicited and irrelevant messages to individuals.
Robocall scams have become the mainstay for scammers trying to impersonate legitimate organizations. The reasons are quite apparent; they are cost-effective. While legitimate businesses still utilize robocalls, the bulk of such calls are from scammers spoofing their Caller IDs in an attempt to steal customers’ personal data. Reverse phone lookup services are adept at determining if an incoming call is a robocall.
This is what you should do if you receive a robocall:
- Hang up immediately. But most importantly, never answer calls that you suspect to be robocalls.
- Ignore subsequent prompts and instructions to hit a button over the call. The FTC notes that phone scammers use this medium to identify prospective targets. Responding to such prompts will only lead to more automated messages.
- Register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Database. Phone numbers listed in the registry for more than 31 days are exempted from receiving robocalls. Any robocall received after this period is most likely a scam call.
- Use online services and third-party apps that offer phone number search free of charge to verify robocalls and block the phone numbers once identified.
- Inquire from your phone service providers about activating their spam call blocking services.
- File complaints of illegal robocall to the FTC online or call 1-888-382-1222.
The FTC’s provides other helpful consumer tips in blocking unwanted calls on any platform on their website.
How Can You Spot and Report Lebanon Phone Scams?
Scams have become quite prevalent in several parts of the country, Lebanon County not excluded. Scammers take every available opportunity to trick residents into providing their sensitive data. A good number of businesses and individuals have experienced injury, harm, and economic loss as a result of scam callers. Seeing the threat they pose, it only makes sense that residents are armed with the right knowledge to defeat them.
A good reverse phone lookup service can help in suspicious phone number lookups to reveal a caller’s true identity. However, awareness and education remain the most viable means of defeating the activities of scammers. Here is how to determine if a suspicious call is a spam call:
- Scammers always coerce their targets into giving them the details they need. They do this by issuing threats to their targets. These may include threats to seize their licenses, suspend them from enjoying certain benefits, impose huge fines on them, or arrest them. Legitimate companies would never request your confidential information over the phone, much less pressure you into sending it. If you receive calls asking such, they are most likely scams.
- The caller poses to be from a legitimate organization yet solicits payments for unknown services. More so, they insist that payment for these services be made through payment channels other than the regular ones. Some of their most preferred routes include wire transfers, gift cards, prepaid cards, cryptocurrency, and FedEx Cash.
- The caller tries to get their target to take all required actions while on the call. They do this to prevent them from verifying their claims before they commit.
- The caller proposes lucrative investment deals, offers, and opportunities. Usually, these deals promise huge ROIs with little or no risk attached and within a short timeframe. The offers are most times tempting enough to distract the target from carrying out proper research. Be wary of callers that propose deals that feed off your greed, as most of the time; they end up being fake.
It is impossible to totally eliminate the possibility of being a target of phone scams. However, services that perform reverse phone number lookups by name, number, and address can help detect when a phone call is a spam call.
Several public institutions provide assistance and education for Lebanon County residents in dealing with scammers. Residents who have been victims of scams may report or file complaints with any of the following agencies:
Lebanon County Sheriff Office (LCSO) - The Lebanon County Sheriff's Office provides residents with up-to-date information on prevalent scams in the county. County residents who may have fallen prey to phone scammers may register their complaints by calling their 24-hour number at (717) 228-4410 or by reporting email.
Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General - Bureau of Consumer Protection - The Bureau of Consumer Protection is set up to ensure that residents are protected from consumer-related fraud and illegal business practices. They also see to it that businesses within the state are carried on fairly and in accordance with prescribed federal and state rules. Victims of phone scams may file their complaints online, by email, or call Consumer Protection on 717-787-9707 or 800-441-2555.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) - The FCC handles interstate communications in the country. They ensure that consumers are protected from illegal robocalls and phone number spoofing scam. Instructions on how to avoid unwanted robocalls and phone scams, in general, are available on their website. Victims of such offenses may file complaints with the FCC.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - The FTC protects consumers from deceptive and fraudulent business practices. The National Do Not Call Registry is one of their attempts at achieving this mission. Phone numbers registered on the DNCR are robocall-exempt. If you continue to receive robocalls even after registering on the DNC database, it is most likely the case of scam calls. Victims of phone scams may file complaints online or call 1-(888)-382-1222.