What are Hendricks County Area Codes?
There are three area codes covering Hendricks County. These are area codes 317, 463, and 765. Area codes are numeric codes designating numbering plan areas (NPAs). Area codes and NPAs were introduced into the American phone system when AT&T created the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) in 1947. An NPA is a geographic unit corresponding to a defined section in a North American telephone network. Area codes made routing and switching calls across telephone exchanges and networks easier. In a typical 10-digit North American phone number, the area code is represented by the first three digits.
Area Code 317
This is one of the original 86 area codes assigned in the US following the introduction of the NANP in 1947. It covered the upper two-thirds of Indiana but it was split to create area code 219 in 1948 and then in 1997, the NPA for area code 765 was carved out of the areas covered by area code 317. Communities in Hendricks County covered by this area code include Avon, Clayton, Danville, Lizton, Pittsboro, and Plainfield.
Area Code 463
Created as an overlay for the 317 NPA, area code 463 expanded available phone numbers for the counties served by area code 317. Area code 463 entered into service on March 15, 2016 and serves some of the communities covered by area code 317. Municipalities in Hendricks County covered by area code 463 include Brownsburg, Clayton, and Pittsboro.
Area Code 765
Put into service on February 1, 1997, area code 765 was created in a split plan that shrank the 317 NPA. While it serves 36 counties, area code 765 only covers a small part of Hendricks County. It is the area code for the towns of Amo and Stilesville in this county.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans for Hendricks County?
Like the rest of Indiana, most of the residents of Hendricks County have made the shift from landline phones to wireless phones. A 2018 survey conducted by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics found that 63.3% of adults in Indiana indicated that they solely used wireless phones for telecommunication. In contrast, only 4% of this demographic still relied on landline phones. The results of the study also showed that 75.4% of minors exclusively used wireless phones while 2.4% of them indicated they were landline-only phone users.
Residents of Hendricks County enjoy phone services from major carriers as well as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). Among these cell phone service providers, AT&T has the widest network and covers 100% of Indiana. Verizon and T-Mobile cover 98.6% and 96.5% of the state. MVNOs are mostly regional carriers that rely on the network infrastructure of national carriers and buy bulk phone services from them. They can offer cheaper cell phone plans because they pass some of the savings from their bulk purchases to their subscribers.
VoIP operators also provide phone services in Hendricks County. VoIP phone services rely on the internet for calls. Voice over Internet Protocol is a communication technology that transmits voice signals over the internet as data packets. Homes and businesses with fast internet services can save on their phone bills by switching to VoIP phone services. VoIP makes long-distance and teleconferencing calls cheaper.
What are Hendricks County Phone Scams?
These are telephone frauds perpetrated in Hendricks County or targeting residents and organizations in the county. Scammers use phone services by calling and texting their targets. They also use spam calls and robocalls to find new targets for their scams. When calling, they trick unsuspecting phone users by impersonating their friends and relatives as well as authority figures with caller ID spoofing and voice phishing.
Residents of Hendricks County trying to avoid phone scams should learn to use reverse phone number lookup and call blocking. In addition to these tools, they need to stay informed about prevalent scams in their communities. The Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Indiana Attorney General publishes a list of common phone scams in the state. These include vacation scams, credit repair scams, pyramid schemes, and investment scams.
What are Hendricks County Vacation Scams?
A vacation scam starts with a stranger calling to congratulate the resident on winning a heavily discounted vacation to a popular destination. The dubious travel agent behind this scam conveniently forgets to mention hidden charges and unfair terms and conditions tied to this offer. After paying for the vacation, the victim learns about these on the way to their destination or when they arrive. Dishonest travel agencies running these scams often book shabby hotels and cruises for victims. Surprised vacationers may also learn that they bought basic travel packages rather than discounted premium packages and need to pay extra for upgrades if they wish to enjoy what they were promised.
Before paying for a vacation promotion, make sure to read the fineprint of the agreement and ask probing questions. Confirm that the person offering this deal is authorized to do so. You can run their number through a free phone number lookup to determine if it is registered to the travel agency the caller claims to represent.
What are Hendricks County Credit Repair Scams?
Fraudsters running these scams promise residents with bad credit scores and reports that they can help them repair their credits so they qualify for loans, mortgages, and credit cards. Residents of Hendricks County should know that there are no legal shortcuts for repairing a bad credit. These scammers charge their victims for consultancy fees but provide them with useless information. Some will suggest illegal solutions such as changing their identities and obtaining new Social Security numbers.
Hang up on a strange caller trying to convince you they can repair a bad credit. If you listened to their pitch, do not be swayed by their outlandish promises. Run a reverse phone lookup to identify any caller making such promises while claiming to represent a credit card company or a government agency.
What are Hendricks County Pyramid Schemes?
Fraudsters pushing pyramid schemes tell their victims that they are participating in no-risk businesses that deliver amazing returns. They may actually pay some dividends just to encourage their victims to put in more money into their scams. These fraudsters may even claim that those putting down money do not have to sell anything, attend meetings, or recruit others. Like all pyramid schemes, these bogus business arrangements crumble as they overextend their unsustainable models.
Residents of Hendricks County should be wary of strange callers pitching business opportunities. The promise of no risk and high returns should scare them away. If contacted in this way, find the caller’s real identity with a suspicious phone number lookup. This search can turn up sob stories from past victims and show that this number had been flagged for previous scam attempts.
What are Hendricks County Investment Scams?
Investment scams are similar to pyramid schemes. These scams also involve strangers selling get-rich-quick schemes to unsuspecting residents. Fraudsters running investment scams put up a front and act like legitimate investors. They may even send weekly investment newsletters and list bogus office addresses on their websites. Investment scams also do not last long. When they collapse, the fraudsters running them close down and reopen under new names and with new bogus investment offerings.
Do not invest your savings with an investment firm you have never heard of because they call you. Make sure to carefully read written documentations of the investment terms and speak to a professional investor or two before putting down money. If you are struggling to find information on the investor pitching you offers, investigate them with a reverse phone number lookup. If the stranger soliciting investment money claims to represent a known investment group, call this firm directly to confirm that the caller truly represents them.
What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Robocalls are automated calls placed to deliver pre-recorded messages to lots of phone numbers. Telemarketers, political groups, and public organizations that send out public service announcements use robocalls to quickly reach their intended audiences. Robocalls are low-cost and cost-effective mass communication tools. When set up, they require very little extra effort to use. Scammers use robocalls for these reasons. It saves them time, effort, and money while helping them reach farther and access wider pools of potential victims.
Spam calls are also unwanted and unsolicited calls commonly used by scammers and dubious telemarketers. Unlike robocalls, spam calls may be placed by human agents delivering similar scripted messages to lots of phone users. There are national efforts to curb the menace of robocalls and spam calls received by American phone users. Most residents report receiving increasing numbers of these unwanted calls. Before such measures actually deliver on their promises, residents of Hendricks County can stop or stem the flood of robocalls and spam calls received by:
- Letting calls from unknown numbers go to voicemail where the messages left can be reviewed
- Hanging up robocalls and spam calls as soon as they realize they are on one
- Disregarding messages left during such calls on steps to take to remove their numbers from telemarketing call lists. Spammers and scammers use such prompts to confirm active numbers and then send more robocalls and spam calls to those numbers
- Setting up the call filtering feature on their phones to block calls from blacklisted numbers. They can also ask their carriers for call blocking services or install reputable call blocking apps from their phone’s app stores
- Using phone number search to identify unknown callers and gather information needed to report scammers, spammers, and stalkers to law enforcement
- Joining the National Do Not Call Registry and the Indiana Do Not Call List by adding their phone numbers to these registries. Doing so will stop some telemarketing calls. In Indiana, realtors, charities, newspapers, and insurance agents are still permitted to place unsolicited telemarketing calls to residents. Report robocalls and spam calls that do not qualify under these exemptions
How to Spot and Report Hendricks County Phone Scams
The best ways to spot telephone frauds include learning the different types of phone scams and how scammers defraud their victims. While there are many variations of phone scams, they all aim to use deception to steal money and confidential information from their targets. As long as scammers aim to defraud, there will always be obvious signs of phone scams wary targets can spot. Residents of Hendricks County should look out for the following red flags when trying to determine whether strangers on the phone are trying to scam them:
- Threats - scammers running impostor scams and impersonating law enforcement and government officials are quick to use threats to force their victims to comply with their demands. They may threaten to arrest, jail, or deport them. They can also threaten that their victims will lose their homes or their driver’s, professional or business license if they do not send money immediately or provide confidential information
- Requests for payment via unofficial channels - scammers only want to get paid by methods that make such payments irreversible and/or hard to trace. Their preferred method of payment include cash, prepaid debit cards, gift cards, wire transfer, mobile app transfer, and cryptocurrency
- Aggressive sales tactics - fraudsters running business, investment, and vacation scams push their targets to sign up and send money immediately in order to take advantage of bogus discounts. They may also inspire the fear of missing out in their victims by claiming their no-risk, high-reward, assured-windfall offers are only available for a limited time
- Refusal to provide written documentation backing their claims and proving their identities
If these signs make you suspicious of a strange caller, investigate them further by running a reverse phone number lookup search to unmask their true identity. Report suspected and confirmed scammers as well as successful and attempted phone scams to the right authorities. These reports help law enforcement bring scammers to justice and raise public awareness of the activities of fraudsters. Hendricks County residents can report phone scams to the following agencies:
- The Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Indiana Attorney General - the state’s consumer protection agency safeguards residents against unfair and deceptive business practices. File a consumer scam complaint with this Division using the printable form provided. You can also call 1-800-382-5516 or (317) 232-6330 to request for this form. Submit the completed form to:
Consumer Protection Division
Office of the Indiana Attorney General
302 W. Washington St., 5th Floor
Indianapolis, IN 46204
- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - this is the federal consumer protection agency and it also protects residents from unfair and deceptive business practices. Hendricks County residents can report telephone frauds involving consumer transactions to the FTC by calling (877) 382-4357 or filing fraud complaints online
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) - this is the federal agency responsible for regulating all communications in the country. Its responsibilities include regulating the telecommunications sector and maintaining the National Do Not Call Registry. Residents of Hendricks County can report illegal robocalls, spam calls, caller ID spoofing, and phishing as well as phone scams to the FCC’s Consumer Complaint Center