An unfamiliar area code, one you’ve never heard of, is often just one of the dozens of new area codes added in the U.S. since 2020. A new code doesn’t make a call more or less likely to be spam. What matters is how the caller behaves, because scammers can fake any area code.
Codes like 572, 835, 839, 726, 448, 728, 464, 983 and 363 are real U.S. area codes. Below is a table of every new U.S. area code since 2020, with in-service dates from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), followed by simple ways to tell a real call from a spam call.
Why new area codes keep appearing
When an area starts running out of phone numbers, regulators usually add an overlay: a new area code that covers the same map as the old one. Nobody’s number changes. New lines in that area can get the new code once the older code’s numbers run out, and local calls in the area need the area code too.
Recent announcements spell this out. New York’s Public Service Commission says 465 numbers won’t be handed out until the 347, 718, 917 and 929 numbers are used up. Mississippi’s 471 and Alabama’s 483 announcements say the same about 662 and 334. So when a code is “in service,” it’s switched on, but people may not have numbers in it yet.
That’s why a stranger with a code you don’t know may simply have a newer phone line. Even Manhattan got a new code, 332, on June 10, 2017.
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Every code below is an overlay: it covers the same area as the older codes in the third column. The dates are from NANPA’s annual reports and the 2026 announcements published on nanpa.com.
| New code | State | Same area as | In service since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 227 | Maryland | 240, 301 | June 14, 2023 |
| 235 | Missouri | 573 | March 24, 2024 |
| 274 | Wisconsin | 920 | May 5, 2023 |
| 283 | Ohio | 513 | April 28, 2023 |
| 324 | Florida | 904 | February 26, 2024 |
| 326 | Ohio | 937 | March 8, 2020 |
| 327 | Arkansas | 870 | February 20, 2024 |
| 329 | New York | 845 | March 24, 2023 |
| 350 | California | 209 | November 28, 2022 |
| 353 | Wisconsin | 608 | September 15, 2023 |
| 357 | California | 559 | March 26, 2025 |
| 363 | New York | 516 | January 20, 2023 |
| 369 | California | 707 | February 1, 2023 |
| 436 | Ohio | 440 | March 1, 2024 |
| 447 | Illinois | 217 | March 27, 2021 |
| 448 | Florida | 850 | June 22, 2021 |
| 457 | Louisiana | 318 | September 25, 2025 |
| 464 | Illinois | 708 | January 21, 2022 |
| 465 | New York | 347, 718, 917, 929 | June 18, 2026 |
| 471 | Mississippi | 662 | January 30, 2026 |
| 472 | North Carolina | 910 | October 7, 2022 |
| 483 | Alabama | 334 | February 23, 2026 |
| 557 | Missouri | 314 | August 12, 2022 |
| 572 | Oklahoma | 405 | May 24, 2021 |
| 582 | Pennsylvania | 814 | May 1, 2021 |
| 621 | Texas | 281, 346, 713, 832 | January 23, 2025 |
| 624 | New York | 716 | November 16, 2023 |
| 645 | Florida | 305, 786 | August 4, 2023 |
| 656 | Florida | 813 | February 22, 2022 |
| 679 | Michigan | 313 | November 7, 2025 |
| 686 | Virginia | 804 | February 1, 2024 |
| 728 | Florida | 561 | March 10, 2023 |
| 729 | Tennessee | 423 | September 5, 2025 |
| 730 | Illinois | 618 | July 7, 2023 |
| 738 | California | 213, 323 | November 1, 2024 |
| 748 | Colorado | 970 | July 7, 2025 |
| 771 | District of Columbia | 202 | November 9, 2021 |
| 821 | South Carolina | 864 | August 19, 2024 |
| 826 | Virginia | 540 | June 14, 2022 |
| 835 | Pennsylvania | 484, 610 | September 2, 2022 |
| 837 | California | 530 | January 31, 2025 |
| 839 | South Carolina | 803 | May 26, 2020 |
| 840 | California | 909 | February 23, 2021 |
| 861 | Illinois | 309 | February 24, 2023 |
| 924 | Minnesota | 507 | August 30, 2024 |
| 943 | Georgia | 404, 470, 678, 770 | March 15, 2022 |
| 945 | Texas | 214, 469, 972 | January 15, 2021 |
| 948 | Virginia | 757 | May 9, 2022 |
| 975 | Missouri | 816 | October 13, 2023 |
| 983 | Colorado | 303, 720 | June 17, 2022 |
A few codes people ask about aren’t on the list because they’re older. 726 is a Texas overlay of 210, in service since October 23, 2017. 618 is an established Illinois code that got its own overlay, 730, in 2023. More are on the way: NANPA has announced 565 as a future overlay for Georgia’s 912. To check any code, use NANPA’s area code search.
Is an unfamiliar area code a sign of spam?
Not on its own. Three things to keep in mind:
- Caller ID can be faked. The FCC calls this spoofing: a caller deliberately falsifies what shows on your caller ID to hide who they are. A scammer can show a new code, an old code or your own.
- Familiar codes aren’t safer. The FTC warns about neighbor spoofing, where scammers call using your area code, often matching the first six digits of your number so the call looks local.
- The code shows where a number was assigned, not where the caller is. Plenty of people keep their number after they move.
One timing clue: 465 numbers aren’t expected to be handed out until around the third quarter of 2027, so be extra careful with a call that shows a 465 number before then.
Codes that look American but aren’t
Canada and many Caribbean countries share the U.S. country code, +1, so their numbers look just like ours. NANPA lists 876 and 658 for Jamaica, for example, and 942 as a newer code for Toronto. A call back to one of these may be an international call, so look up an unfamiliar code before you return a missed call. Our guide to the U.S. country code explains how +1 works.
How to tell a real call from a spam call
- Let unknown numbers go to voicemail. The FCC’s advice is not to answer calls from unknown numbers. Someone with a real reason to reach you can leave a message.
- Listen to the message. A real caller usually says who they are and why they called. A vague recording, or a message asking you to call back about an “urgent” account problem, is a red flag.
- Don’t call back a number you don’t recognize. For illegal robocalls, the FTC says to hang up and not call back.
- Don’t press any buttons. The FTC warns that pressing a number could lead to more robocalls. If a recording asks you to press a button to stop the calls, the FCC says to just hang up.
- Don’t answer yes-or-no questions or share personal details. The FCC advises against giving out account numbers, Social Security numbers or passwords on unexpected calls.
- Check the caller another way. If someone says they’re your bank, a delivery company or a government office, hang up and call the number on your card, bill or the official website.
- Use your phone’s and carrier’s tools. The FTC notes that many cell phones can block specific numbers and that carriers offer call-blocking and call-labeling services. See what “Scam Likely” means, and our guides to blocking numbers on iPhone and blocking area codes on Android.
The FTC also points out that call blocking doesn’t catch every scam call, so a call with no warning label isn’t automatically safe.
Where to report spam calls
According to the FTC, if you didn’t lose money, report unwanted calls at DoNotCall.gov. If you lost money to a phone scam, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For regular codes that deserve a little extra caution, see our list of area codes to avoid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 572 a scam area code?
No. 572 is a real Oklahoma area code that covers the same area as 405, in service since May 24, 2021. Any area code can be used by scammers, because caller ID can be faked.
Where is area code 835?
Pennsylvania. 835 covers the same area as 484 and 610 and has been in service since September 2, 2022.
Where is area code 839?
South Carolina. 839 covers the same area as 803 and has been in service since May 26, 2020.
Is 465 a real area code?
Yes. 465 was switched on June 18, 2026 for the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. Carriers are expected to start handing out 465 numbers around the third quarter of 2027. It doesn’t cover Manhattan; see NYC’s area codes explained.
Does a new area code mean the caller is new to the area?
Not necessarily. New codes go to new phone lines in that area, but people keep their numbers when they move, and caller ID can be faked.
How can I find out where an area code is?
Use NANPA’s area code search, or see how many area codes are in the US for the bigger picture.
Should I block an entire area code?
Only if you’re sure no one you know uses it. Scammers can fake any code, so blocking one won’t stop spam from the others, and you might miss a real call from a new line.
Prefer a number people recognize?
Newer codes are perfectly good numbers, but some people would rather have a code everyone knows. 212areacode.com sells real Manhattan 212 numbers, plus numbers in many other area codes, that you transfer to your own carrier. If that interests you, browse available numbers.
