What are Monroe County Area Codes?
Area codes are the first three-digit set of numbers at the beginning of phone numbers in North America. Introduced as part of the North American Numbering Plan in 1940, area codes identify numbering plan areas within a state. With area codes, phone users can locate the destination or origin of calls. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) regulates telecommunications in the state.
There are currently three area codes that cover Monroe County. These area codes serve all of Monroe County and parts of other surrounding counties.
Area Code 570
Area code 570 is the North American telephone area code that covers the Northeastern part of Pennsylvania. It was created in 1998 from the geographical split of area code 717. Major communities in Monroe County are covered by area code 570. This includes the Borough of Stroudsburg, Borough of East Stroudsburg, Pocono Pines, and Mount Pocono.
Area Code 610
Area code 610 is the NANP code for the Southeastern part of Pennsylvania. It was introduced in 1994 through a split of area code 215. Area code 610 serves Monroe County communities like Eldred Township and Polk Township.
Area Code 272
Area code 272 is a telephone area code created in 2013. It is an overlay for area code 570 created due to the increase in the number of telephone lines needed. Cities in Monroe County covered by area code 272 include Penn Estates and Saylorsburg.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Monroe County?
All the top four telephone providers in the United States (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint) are currently active in Monroe County. Residents may also choose Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO). These alternatives provide similar network quality at affordable rates to phone users. In Monroe County, mobile phone networks offer decent service, though some are stronger than others.
Verizon provides the highest coverage in Monroe County, at 96% coverage. AT&T comes in second with 74% coverage, T-Mobile comes in third with 44% coverage, and Sprint comes in fourth with less than 40% coverage in the county. It is worth noting that in densely populated areas, network efficiency may suffer. Climate conditions can also affect the quality of network service.
Generally, residents in Monroe County prefer mobile phones to landlines based on a report on wireless substitution in 2018. According to the report published by the National Center for Health Statistics, 43.4% of Pennsylvania adults use cell phones only, while 4.3% of adults use landlines only. The preference for mobile phones is even higher for Pennsylvania's minors below 18 years. Just 2.3% of minors used landline only, while 52.5% preferred wireless-only phones.
Different telecommunications companies in Monroe County offer VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services for both business and personal uses. Voice over Internet Protocol sends voice and video messages from the sender to the receiver over a broadband internet network. With the help of a good internet connection, VoIP calls are cheaper and faster. As opposed to standard phone lines, VoIP allows for the use of advanced features at a lower cost, as well as superior voice quality over long-distance calls.
What are Monroe County Phone Scams?
Monroe County phone scams are perpetrated by scammers aiming to defraud or obtain personal details of county residents. To carry out their illegal activities, phone scammers clone the mobile numbers of legitimate institutions or individuals. They use advanced software to duplicate the Caller IDs of legitimate entities, while concealing their own. However, it is easy to detect the true identities of these fraudsters with the help of reverse phone number lookup services.
Citizens of Monroe County can also avoid falling for these scams by using the resources and information provided by public institutions in the county, state, or at the federal level. The primary law enforcement agencies in Monroe County include the Office of the District Attorney, Monroe County, and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. The Better Business Bureau, Pennsylvania, also helps residents look up legitimate companies. At the federal level, the Federal Trade Commission provides updated information on different phone scams and how to avoid being a victim.
Common scams committed in Monroe County include:
What are Monroe County COVID-19 Scams?
COVID-19 scams in Monroe County are carried out to trick people into giving up their social security numbers or banking information in return for medical supplies or vaccinations. Some fraudsters pose as government agencies providing COVID-19 benefits or pandemic relief compensation. COVID-19 scams, and several others, are intended to obtain sensitive information that would be used for identity fraud.
County residents can safeguard themselves from these scams by following COVID-19 scam instructions provided by the Monroe County government. Also, it is essential to double-check the identities of any organizations or persons making false claims. Use reverse cell phone lookup applications to look up phone numbers for free. It is essential to disregard notifications demanding reimbursement for COVID-19 vaccines or cures. Many scammers request payment through bitcoin wallets, gift cards, or money transfers. Disaster scam victims in Monroe County can report cases to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by filing online complaints or calling (866) 720-5721.
What are Monroe County Social Security Scams?
Phone scammers involved in social security scams use spoofing tactics to mask their genuine caller IDs, making it look like it is that of the Social Security Administration. The imposters warn their targets that their social security numbers have been used to defraud people or launder money. Scammers use threats of legal action to coerce their targets into paying fines or giving out their private details. With the help of free reverse phone lookup databases, residents can determine who called and avoid caller ID spoofing. According to the Social Security Administration, residents who notice these imposter scams should terminate calls at once and report cases to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
What are Monroe County Charity Scams?
In charity scams, fraudsters pose as agents of reputable charities to defraud donors in Monroe County. Although charity organizations and their representatives call and solicit contributions, people should be mindful that scammers also take advantage of this tactic to defraud unsuspecting victims. Note that charity organizations in Pennsylvania must register with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs (BPOA). Therefore, residents are advised to search licensed charities before making donations. Also, with the help of phone number search tools, individuals can answer the question of 'who is this number registered to?' Victims of charity scams can file complaints online to the bureau.
What are Monroe County Impersonation Scams?
Impersonation scams in Monroe County are carried out by imposters acting like representatives of government agencies. Most scammers claim they are from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office or IRS (Internal Revenue Service) agents to obtain personal details of their targets. Some may use threats, while others may offer considerable rewards to persuade their targets. Imposter fraudsters seeking to get money from individuals may impersonate friends and relatives of their targets. In most cases, the fraudsters demand payments via bitcoin and gift cards. These payment systems are preferred because law enforcement agencies cannot trace them to the actual owners. Examples of impersonation scams in Monroe County are grandparent scams and IRS scams.
Individuals are required to verify the true identities of callers by using suspicious phone number lookup services. With these tools, residents can know who called even if the fraudsters spoofed their caller ID. It is also important to report impersonation scams to the nearest law enforcement agencies or the FTC.
What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Robocalls are programmed phone calls used for passing pre-recorded information to phone users. They are commonly used by political groups, telemarketers, educational organizations, health companies, and non-profit groups. Generally, robocalls are legal except for telemarketers who do not obtain the consent of individuals. Like illegal robocalls, spam calls contain pre-recorded information that is irrelevant to phone users.
Fraudsters often use robocalls and spam calls to make them remain anonymous while they impersonate individuals and companies. With the anonymity provided by robocalls, imposters obtain individuals' personal information used to commit identity fraud. County residents are advised to use free reverse phone lookup applications to get factual information about robocalls and spam calls.
If you receive a robocall:
- Terminate the call.
- Do not respond to any of the prompts because this would only result in more automatic notifications.
- Identify robocalls by using free phone number searches online.
- Block the phone numbers identified as illegal robocalls or spam calls.
- Report fraudulent robocalls to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online or by calling 1-888-382-1222.
- Register your phone number in the National Do Not Call Registry. You would not get robocalls or other sales requests from telemarketers or companies once you join this list. However, this will not prevent all unwanted calls; it will make it easy to spot illegal robocalls as potential phone scams.
- Look up how to block unwanted calls to find more information on how to handle robocalls.
How to Spot and Report Monroe County Phone Scams?
Fraudsters are always coming up with new ways to deceive the common masses. Awareness and vigilance are the most effective ways to tackle scams. It is possible to detect these scams using online services that provide phone number lookup free of charge. Residents can also protect themselves by watching out for these warning signs:
- Fraudsters use aggressive tactics to put pressure on targets to disclose their private details. These may involve threats of investigations, fines, license restrictions, and even detention.
- Fraudsters often request confidential information like bank details, social security numbers, or driving licenses. Legitimate businesses will not make demands for classified information until the client approves it.
- Fraudsters often provide specific guidance on making payments via untraceable channels. These payment methods may be bitcoins, gift cards, or wire transfers. It is almost impossible to retrieve money sent via these payment systems.
- Fraudsters often provide huge “once in a lifetime” offers. These offers are presented to divert the attention of victims from doing proper research on the claims.
Phone scams can be avoided by using apps that perform reverse phone number lookups by address, name, and phone number. Monroe County's government agencies are dedicated to combating the problem of phone scammers by providing people with knowledge and assistance. These institutions are:
Monroe County District Attorney: The DA in Monroe County is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer tasked with defending residents' rights in the conviction of criminals. The department also offers help and assistance to crime victims. Individuals can contact the department at:
701 Main Street, Suite 200
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 18360
Phone: (570) 517-3052
Fax: (570) 517-3863
Email: info@monroecountyda.com
Monroe County Sheriff's Office: Being the major law enforcement agency in the county, residents can call (570) 517-3312 to make complaints over the phone. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office provides information and updates on prevalent scams in the county. Monroe County residents who have been victims of phone scams can send an email to the Civil Unit.
Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office: County residents can submit written or in-person complaints to:
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
Bureau of Consumer Protection
Strawberry Square, 15th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Phone: (717) 787-3391
Toll-Free Helpline: (888) 777-3406
Better Business Bureau: The Better Business Bureau is the most reliable source for genuine businesses in Monroe County. Individuals can file complaints on companies in the county.
Federal Trade Commission: Consumers are protected by the FTC from misleading and fraudulent activities. As part of its attempts to reduce unnecessary calls, the FTC established the National Do Not Call Registry. If you've submitted your phone number to the DNC list but still get unsolicited messages, they are most likely fraud calls.