What are Montgomery County Area Codes?
Area codes are unique three-digit numbers that precede standard North American telephone numbers, registered under the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). Area codes provide information on where phone calls originate. The North American Numbering Plan administrator distributes area codes in Montgomery County and other parts of North America. There are currently three area codes covering Montgomery County. They include:
Area Code 615
Area code 615 is the telephone area code for Montgomery County and parts of 16 other counties in Tennessee. The area code, which was created in 1954, currently serves most of middle Tennessee. Some major cities within the service area include Clarksville, Cunningham, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Brentwood, Gallatin, Lebanon, Hendersonville, etc.
Area Code 629
Area code 629 was approved on October 21, 2013. It was created as an overlay of area code 615, covering the same area. Area code 629 began service in 2014.
Area Code 931
Area code 931 was created in 1957 in a split from area code 615. It began operation officially on September 15, 1997. This area code covers every part of Montgomery County.
Residents of Montgomery County may receive calls bearing unfamiliar area codes. Most interstate calls have different area codes. To be sure of where certain phone calls originate, residents may use area code lookup services.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Montgomery County?
AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile offer considerably good coverage in Montgomery County. Major phone carriers in Montgomery County partner with several Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) to improve service quality. AT&T provides the best coverage with 92%. Verizon is second with 84%, and T-Mobile has the least coverage with 72% coverage. Phone network service quality in Montgomery County is above average, although residents may experience network glitches in rural areas.
A 2018 National Center of Health Statistics survey estimated that 61.2% of adults in Tennessee, including Montgomery County, used only wireless telephone services, while 3.7% exclusively used landlines. 15.7% of adults used wireless telephone services mostly. By contrast, only 6.8% used landlines as their first choice telephone service. 9.6% of adults in Tennessee used both landlines and wireless telephone services.
Among minors, the difference is profound. 71.4% exclusively used wireless telephone services, while 1.6% used only landlines. 16.6% of the minors in Tennessee used wireless telephone services most of the time. By contrast, only 1.6% of the minors preferred landlines over wireless telephone services. These figures show that residents of Tennessee, including Montgomery County, prefer cell phones to landlines.
In Montgomery County, there are several wireless telephone services, and residents are free to subscribe to any of them. One of such services is the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP is a technology in Montgomery County that allows residents to make phone calls using active internet connections instead of phone lines. VoIP offers more flexible options compared to traditional telephony services. Residents may subscribe to either the business or residential plans. Residential plans feature voicemail, call forwarding, and caller ID authentication. Business plans provide several benefits, including voicemail to text transition, auto-attendant, video conferencing, etc.
What are Montgomery County Phone Scams?
In Montgomery County, phone scams involve phone conversations aimed at defrauding county residents or stealing their personal information. Phone scams generally include fraudulent activities facilitated by telecommunication products or services. These scams may be avoided by using reverse phone lookup services to identify potential scammers. Law enforcement agencies in Montgomery County are committed to fighting the scourge of phone scams in the state. Common phone scams in Montgomery include:
What are Montgomery County Social Security Scams?
Social Security scams involve phone calls made to residents to steal their social security numbers and other personal information. These scams facilitate identity thefts and deprive legitimate citizens of getting government benefits. In social security scams, victims receive calls from individuals impersonating officials of the Social Security Administration (SSA). While it is normal for members of the SSA to call residents, scammers often take advantage of the opportunity to steal from unsuspecting citizens. Scammers call and inform the victims of issues with their social security numbers. To resolve the issues, the scammers ask their victims to provide personal information or pay fines with cash, wire transfers, etc. Residents should not hesitate to use reverse phone lookup services to verify who called them. If citizens of Montgomery County receive any of such calls, they should hang up and contact the SSA directly.
What are Montgomery County Homeland Security Scams?
Residents of Montgomery County have reported scam calls from individuals claiming to represent the Department of Homeland Security. These scams target U.S. immigrants to steal money or confidential information from them. Residents must know that the Department of Homeland Security will not call to request immediate payment from immigrants. More so, the department will not request the personal information of residents during phone calls. Reverse phone lookup tools can help residents identify where certain phone calls originate. Victims of Homeland Security scams may call 800-323-8603 or visit their website to register complaints.
What are Montgomery County Grandparents Scams?
These are scams targeting elderly people to steal money from them. Victims of these scams receive calls from scammers posing as their family members in need of help. Scammers inform victims that they have been arrested for crimes outside the state or country. Before making phone calls, scammers often glean information about their victims on social media platforms or other means. Most times, the victims do not suspect them, as the scammers are armed with enough information about them. To resolve the issue, scammers ask victims to send money for attorney or medical fees. Residents of Montgomery County should educate senior citizens around them about grandparents' scams. Reverse phone lookup services are means of identifying who called. Interested persons may use these services to conduct phone number searches to determine where the phone call originates. Residents who have been victims of grandparent scams may report scams to the State Attorney General.
What are Employment Scams?
Employment scams involve scammers impersonating legitimate businesses and contacting residents. The scammers offer jobs to the victims by informing them that they would receive checks to purchase certain equipment. Since the job requires them to work from home, victims do not suspect fraud. Scammers send the money to their victims and request that they make payments for equipment to a particular account. The trick here is to use victims' bank accounts to facilitate the transfer of stolen money to safe accounts. Once the money is transferred, victims neither receive the equipment nor hear from the employers again. Conducting reverse phone searches will residents avoid falling victim to such scams.
What are Jury Duty Scams?
Here, scammers call and inform victims that they will go to jail for not complying with jury service in the county. To resolve the issue, the scammers ask victims to make payments or risk going to jail. Victims are given specific instructions on how to make payments, which may include gift cards, bitcoins, prepaid cards, etc. Residents of Montgomery County should know that the Sheriff will not call to solicit money. Reverse phone lookup services can help identify phone scammers.
What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?
In Montgomery County, robocalls are calls that deliver pre-recorded messages to a large audience using automated systems such as auto-dialers. These calls are mostly used by telemarketers, public institutions, and non-profit organizations. Scammers also use robocalls because of the anonymity it affords callers and their ability to reach a large audience within a short period. Residents should always be on the lookout for such calls. Scammers use robocalls to steal money or confidential information from members of the public.
Here are some appropriate ways to deal with robocalls:
- Do not answer calls from numbers that are not familiar
- Hang up as soon as you hear a prerecorded message
- Do not follow any instructions given during the call. Participating in a robocall helps the scammer verify that the phone number is active
- Contact phone service providers and request call blocking applications
- Use reverse phone number searches to identify potential robocalls
- Register phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. Adding phone numbers to the registry exempts residents from most unwanted calls.
- Report illegal robocalls to the Federal Trade Commission.
How Can You Spot and Report Montgomery Phone Scams?
Scammers are always looking for new ways to scam unsuspecting citizens. The best way to prevent phone scams is by educating residents of Montgomery County on scam tricks. Residents need to enroll their phone numbers in the National Do Not Call Registry as it reduces the number of unsolicited calls they get. Additionally, residents may find good call blocking applications to prevent unwanted calls. More so, residents should always be vigilant and avoid sharing their phone numbers on social media platforms. Scammers may have different schemes, but they always use the same tricks while trying to steal from their victims. Some indications of phone scams include:
- Requests for immediate payments during the phone calls.
- Requests for upfront fees to claim winnings or offers.
- Specific instructions on how to pay for utilities or bail, such as gift cards, bitcoins, wire transfers, and prepaid cards.
- The use of aggressive tactics such as threats of arrest and suspension.
- Requests for confidential information such as social security numbers and bank details.
- Unsolicited robocalls.
In Montgomery County, law enforcement agencies assist members of the public who have been contacted by scammers. Victims should not hesitate to contact the appropriate authorities to report the scams. These include:
Montgomery County Sheriff's Office - The office is the primary law enforcement in the county. The office is responsible for protecting residents from deceptive activities and frauds. Members of the public who have been victims of phone scams may report the case to the sheriff's department. Interested persons may report scams over their phone lines; call 931-648-0611 for more information.
Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance- The department provides statewide updates on how to avoid phone scams. Residents may visit the department website to view relevant information on phone scams. Victims of phone scams may also seek assistance from the department. Interested persons may report scams during phone calls or via emails. Call 615-741-2241, or send a mail to:
Department of Commerce and Insurance
500 James Robertson Way
Davy Crockett Tower
Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0565
Better Business Bureau - The Better Business Bureau maintains a database of legitimate businesses in Montgomery County. The Bureau also provides updates on scam activities in the county. By navigating through their website, residents may use the phone number search option to view legitimate businesses in the county.
Federal Trade Commission - The commission provides updates on phone and robocall scams in the country. Victims of phone scams can report to the FTC.