What are Henderson County Area Codes?
Area codes were introduced in 1947 as part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). Area codes are the three-digit codes that appear at the beginning of telephone numbers. They are also known as NPA (Numbering Plan Area) codes. Phone users use area codes to recognize the origins and destinations of phone calls. The North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) approves new area codes in the state.
The only area code active in Henderson County is:
Area Code 828
Area code 828 is a North Carolina telephone area code created in 1998 after a split from the NPA code 704, which mandated the 10-digit dialing system. Area code 828 serves the cities of Fletcher and Hendersonville.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Henderson County?
Telephone users in Henderson County enjoy quality network service from the four major networks in the US. These major service providers are Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. Verizon provides the best network coverage with 96%. AT&T comes next with 80% coverage, while T-Mobile offers 66% coverage. Sprint provides a service coverage of 58%. Henderson County residents may also choose to use Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). These alternatives offer cost-effective services. MVNOs operate under the network of the four major national carriers.
The National Center of Health Statistics (NCHS) report reveals that mobile phone subscribers in North Carolina are more than landline users. The 2018 report shows that 57.3% of North Carolina adults only used mobile phones, while 4.5% only used landlines. The publication also reveals a more significant difference among North Carolina minors. 69% of minors used mobile phones only, while 2.6% only used landlines.
Residents in Henderson County are increasingly using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services to make phone calls. VoIP services are less expensive and more versatile. Also, they require the use of broadband internet access, making them faster than traditional lines. VoIP users can use this functionality to make direct inbound dialing, web conferencing, and other functions.
What are Henderson County Phone Scams?
Henderson County phone scams target phone users. Con artists steal individuals' financial details by making false claims over the phone. Other scammers steal the personal information of residents to carry out identity thefts. Phone scammers may impersonate approved governmental agencies and legitimate businesses to defraud people. They also use spoofing techniques to conceal their true identities. County residents can use reverse phone lookup applications or area code lookups to find who callers are. These tools will reveal the location and other details of scam calls.
Examples of phone scams in Henderson County include:
What are Henderson County Grandparent Scams?
In grandparent scams, scammers pretending to be relatives call aged persons. They claim to be in trouble and need money or bail for alleged crimes. These fraudsters beg senior residents to keep the conversations secret. Some fraudsters employ other con artists in these scams. The other fraudsters act as attorneys requesting money to help their grandchildren in courts. These fraudsters may explain why they sound different to clear any suspicion. Some fraudsters ask for payments via wire transfers or gift cards. Others demand that their scam targets pay to strangers coming to pick up the cash from them. At times, victims may get more calls asking for more money via mail or wire transfers.
These scam tactics are designed to ensure that individuals pay immediately. Individuals can use reverse cell phone lookup apps to find out who called. Using these applications, individuals can perform phone number searches by address or name. This way, phone users can find all information about the scam callers. It is also advisable to call close relatives to confirm the claims. Residents should report these scams to the County Sheriff's Office on (828) 697-4911 or (828) 697-4596. It is also important to report grandparent scams to the FTC.
What are Henderson County Jury Duty Scams?
Like every other scam, jury scams aim to defraud phone users. In jury scams, fraudsters threaten to prosecute residents for disregarding jury service. These threats may include arrest or license revocation. Jury scam victims often give out their credit card details, social security numbers, or driver's licenses to scammers.
Typically, jury duty is a civic responsibility required of residents. Yet, neither state nor federal courts can request sensitive details on the phone or by email. Scammers use the personal information collected for identity theft. Other con artists use their targets’ credit card details to make online payments. Residents should use suspicious phone number lookup services to identify callers. Also, refrain from paying into cryptocurrency wallets or gift cards. Scammers use these payment mechanisms to avoid being traced. Contact the local Sheriff’s Office or the Henderson County Court Clerk to confirm false claims. Also, individuals can contact the Office of the Attorney General or call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.
What are Henderson County Social Security Scams?
In Henderson County, scammers collect residents' social security numbers (SSN) through fraudulent means. Social security scams appear in different varieties, but they all operate the same way. For instance, the fraudster may pretend to be an agent from the SSA (Social Security Administration). Then, they try to persuade the target to give out their SSN. Victims disclose their social security numbers, which the scammers use for identity fraud.
Individuals may avoid these scams by reading the information on social security scams. Telephone users may also download free reverse cell phone lookup apps to verify the phone numbers. Also, individuals should note that officials at the SSA cannot request payment via money transfers, gift cards, and bitcoin wallets.
What are Henderson County “Can You Hear Me” Scams?
The "Can You Hear Me?" or "Yes" Scams are orchestrated by fraudsters who call their targets and utter the words, “can you hear me?” in hope that the targets would reply with a “yes.” Generally, once the targets say “yes,” they will be recorded, and the fraudsters may be able to use the recordings to confirm approval of charges to the targets’ bank accounts or credit cards.
If you receive a call from an unknown number and hear the caller say, "Can you hear me?" end the call instantly. County residents should guard against being victimized by resisting the urge to answer phone calls once the phone numbers are unfamiliar, even if the calls are from local numbers. Individuals are advised against doing any of the following:
- Giving out their personal credit cards or banking information
- Pressing anything on their keypads
- Calling any phone number that may be provided
With free phone number lookup databases, phone users can get more information about strangers who call them. Also, residents can safeguard themselves by contacting their network providers on how they can help prevent unwanted calls.
What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Robocalls are automated phone calls that deliver prerecorded messages to telephone users in bulk. On the other hand, spam calls deliver repeated and irrelevant messages. Generally, all spam calls are illegal. However, telemarketers, politicians, healthcare providers, and other educational organizations can use robocalls legally. Being a technological innovation that provides caller anonymity, scammers frequently use robocalls to defraud unsuspecting citizens. However, individuals can use suspicious phone number lookup services to know the true identities of robocallers.
Other ways to tackle illegal robocalls are as follows:
- End the call once the caller asks you to verify personal details by calling out your social security numbers or credit card information.
- Avoid following any robocall prompt as it may lead to more robocalls.
- Use a good reverse phone lookup tool to find an answer to the question of ''who is this number registered to?''
- Register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry (NCNC)
After 31 days of enrollment on the NCNC, the registered phone numbers will be blocked from receiving robocalls. Robocalls received after the stipulated time are definitely from scammers. Phone users are advised to report these numbers to the FTC if the caller persists.
How to Spot and Report Henderson County Phone Scams?
According to a 2019 report published by the Federal Trade Commission, phone users lost about $429 million to fraudsters between 2018 and 2019. Scammers carry out phone scams using innovative methods like spoofing and voice phishing to enhance their fraudulent activities. With these methods, imposters disguise themselves, making it difficult for individuals to recognize frauds. County residents can avoid falling victims to these scam callers using online platforms that provide reverse phone lookups free of charge. With these tools, phone users can perform free phone number searches by name or address to identify scam calls. Henderson County residents should also be aware of common techniques used by phone scammers. Note that scam callers often:
- Use all kinds of threats to scare their targets
- Manipulate their targets into making payments immediately without asking questions
- Offer their targets rewards that are too good to be true.
- Request for individuals' private or financial details.
- Request for fees in gift cards and cryptocurrency.
If you notice any of these red flags, immediately end calls and report the incident to the appropriate government authorities in Henderson County, such as:
- Henderson County Attorney Office: The Attorney's Office in Henderson County is tasked with prosecuting fraudulent activities. Individuals who may have disclosed their financial or personal details over the phone can contact the office using the address below.
1 Historic Courthouse Square, Suite Five,
Hendersonville, North Carolina 28792
Phone: (828) 697-4719
Fax: (828) 697-4536
- Henderson County Sheriff's Office: Individuals can report criminal and fraudulent activities to the Sheriff’s Office below:
100 North Grove Street,
Henderson, NC 28792
Phone: (828) 697-4596
- North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ): The state's principal consumer protection agency is tasked with protecting individuals from consumer fraud. Victims of fraud can complete general consumer complaint forms and submit them to the department via mail, email, or fax.
North Carolina Department of Justice
114 West Edenton Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: (919) 716-6400
Fax: (919) 716-6750
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Generally, the FTC is responsible for protecting US citizens from scams. The risk of falling victim to scams can be reduced by registering your phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry.
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC): The FCC is tasked with protecting consumers from fraudulent robocalls and all types of phone scams. It is also in charge of regulating interstate and international communications in the country. Residents can find information on how to avoid unwanted robocalls and phone scams via the FCC website. Phone scam victims can file complaints with the FCC.