The 601 area code is crawling with fake debt collectors and government impersonators. They call claiming you owe money or have legal trouble to scare you into paying.
Look up any suspicious number using our scam and spam phone number lookup database. It includes over 29 million Do Not Call and robocall complaints reported to the Federal Trade Commission.
Getting calls from 601 area code and wonder if it's a scam? You're not alone. Scammers frequently spoof Mississippi (Jackson, Hattiesburg, Meridian) phone numbers to trick you into answering. Here are the most common area code 601 scams based on user comments:
Scammers are calling Mississippi residents from numbers like 601-588-2408 and 601-909-9825 with aggressive and frightening threats. They claim you have a complaint filed against you or owe money for a fake payday loan from years ago, threatening to serve you with legal papers at your home or work and even contacting your family members.
Legitimate process servers do not call you in advance to warn you; they just show up. Furthermore, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) prohibits collectors from using abusive language or threatening actions they cannot legally take, like having you arrested for a civil debt.
"I got similar calls with those messages about serving me and call my family members stating they about to pick me up. How they got their information I’m not sure and they never state what company they works for are anything."
This scam involves a call claiming to be from a government agency, often using threats to scare you. Callers might state your Social Security Number has been "frozen" or "suspended" due to criminal activity, or identify themselves as US Marshalls. One elaborate text scam from a "John Williams" at the "Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS)" promises a $100,000 grant if you first pay an $800 "tax and clearance fee" using eBay gift cards.
Your Social Security Number is never suspended or frozen. Government agencies initiate contact through official U.S. Mail, not with threatening phone calls or texts promising grants in exchange for gift card payments.
"Got a call stating that my social security was forzen and that I have criminal charges against me. They are also identifying as US MArshalls. This is concerning and if to believe or not."
Scammers are spoofing caller IDs to make it look like they are calling from well-known companies like Comcast, Amazon, or even Regions Bank. The "Comcast" calls often feature background noise like kids playing, and the agent may hang up abruptly. The "Amazon" scam claims there is a fraudulent charge of $399 for a Prime membership renewal and asks for your information to "fix" it.
Major corporations like Amazon will not call you about membership renewals or charges; these are handled through email and your account portal. A real customer service agent from Comcast or Regions Bank will not get defensive or hang up when you question the legitimacy of their call.
"Rec'd call stating they are from Comcast and have a promo they wanted to offer. But the questions they were asking raised eyebrows. The agent tells me its her job to ask the questions. When I questioned the legitimacy of the call she told me she was going to have to end the call and rattled off 1800xfinity and hung up."
A flood of calls are targeting folks in Mississippi about health insurance and Medicare benefits. These robocalls often start with a recorded message from a "Medicare Advisor" or someone trying to sell insurance through the marketplace. They may try to trick you into saying "yes" on a recorded line or claim you need to accept a product, like lotion, to "activate" a benefit.
Official Medicare representatives will never call you out of the blue to sell you anything or ask for your personal information. Requiring you to buy a product like lotion to activate medical benefits is a clear sign of a scam.
"I finally took the call and went thru their questions. Could barely hear and finally got to the kicker I needed to accept one of their products such as lotion to activate the benefit. I was like NO WAY... I quizzed her, who is my coverage with if you say you are calling to review my benefits. She could not answer any of my questions. SCAM"
This is a particularly dangerous scam reported by residents who received a package via USPS Priority Mail. The package contains a cashier's check and "assignment instructions" from a fake company like "THE NEWLIGHT RESEARCH." You are instructed to deposit the check, buy hundreds of dollars in gift cards (specifically eBay cards), scratch them off, and text pictures of the card numbers to a person named "Jason Brad."
No legitimate company will ever send you a check and ask you to send some of the money back to them or someone else in the form of gift cards. This is a classic overpayment scam designed to trick you into sending them your own money before the fake check is discovered by your bank.
"This number was part of a scam I received via USPS Priority Mail. It included a cashier's check and 'assignment instructions' for THE NEWLIGHT RESEARCH. It said to buy gift cards, scratch them off, and text pictures to Jason Brad at this number."
Many Mississippians are getting relentless calls about an expiring car warranty. These robocalls often claim it's "absolutely urgent" or the "final notice" regarding your coverage. The scammers have no idea if you even own a car, with some residents reporting they've received calls despite not owning a vehicle since the 1980s.
These calls are almost always illegal robocalls from scammers, not your car's manufacturer or dealer. They are phishing for your personal and financial information and have no knowledge of your vehicle's actual warranty status.
"Lady was informing me my warranty on my car was about to expire...first of all, I do not have a car, I have a truck and second, I do not HAVE a warranty on my truck!"
Frequently Asked Questions about Area Code 201 Scams and Spam Calls
No, area code 601 is not a scam. It's a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Mississippi, United States. Area code 601 is a general purpose code that has been in service since January 1, 1947.
Most common 601 scam types are:
You're likely experiencing "Neighbor Spoofing." Scammers fake their caller ID to display local or familiar numbers. If you live in or near Mississippi, or have a 601 phone number yourself, scammers know you're more likely to answer what appears to be a local call.
Calling back to unknown spam number may incur premium charges or at least confirm your phone number is active and lead to more spam and scam calls.
There are three main ways to reduce spam calls:
It's definitely possible to block all specific area code phone numbers. However, we do not recommend this option because it would also prevent friends, family, doctors, and legitimate businesses from reaching you.
Other Mississippi area codes where scam and spam calls are regularly reported: