What are Clay County Area Codes?
The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) introduced area codes to its geographical territories called Numbering Plan Areas (NPAs) to help ease the process of routing phone calls. Clay County area code is the chain of three digits prefixed to each telephone number in the county. The Missouri Public Utilities Commission oversees the implementation and management of area codes in the State of Missouri.
The 816 NPA is currently the only area code serving Clay County.
Area Code 816
Created as one of the 86 original North American area codes in 1947, area code 816 is the NANP telephone area code in Missouri. The 816 NPA covers various Clay County communities and cities, including Liberty, Kansas, Oakview, Birmingham, Claycomo, Gladstone, Glenaire, Kearney, Pleasant Valley, Mosby, and North Kansas.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Clay County?
A 2018 CDC study revealed that 64.2% of adults in Missouri were wireless-only users, while 3.2% of them relied solely on landline phones for telecommunication. Likewise, children who had adopted cell phones exclusively accounted for 74.9% of their population, while only 2.5% of them still used landline-only services. This implies that cell phone adoption is becoming widespread among Clay County residents.
Network coverage is generally impressive in Missouri. Two of the four major American phone carriers, AT&T and Verizon, offer the most extensive coverage. However, AT&T has the highest penetration and boasts the best network at a 98% spread, while Verizon covers 88.2% of the county. T-Mobile has coverage of 83.4% in Clay County, while Sprint averages 56.2% coverage.
Voice over Internet Protocol Services (VoIP) is enjoying increased patronage by Clay County residents as a more affordable alternative to regular telephony services. Unlike the PSTN and wireless networks, VoIP uses IP networks, such as the internet, to make and receive calls. It is also relatively cheap to set up and is not regulated by the Missouri Public Utilities Commission.
What are Clay County Phone Scams?
These are frauds that use telephone services to defraud Clay County residents. Phone scammers use services such as text messages and phone calls to rob Clay County residents of confidential information and money. Services that offer reverse phone lookups help in identifying scammers and thwarting their cons. Phone scammers often pose as representatives of legitimate organizations or government agencies to deceive their targets.
The following are the commonly perpetrated phone scams in Clay County:
What are Clay County Law Enforcement Scams?
Clay County residents are being warned to stay vigilant regarding phone scammers posing as deputies of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office also cautions residents against making payments or sharing confidential information with these con artists when contacted. The scammers accuse their marks of various infractions, ranging from unpaid traffic tickets to outstanding arrest warrants. They then threaten immediate arrests if payments are not quickly made via gift cards. These scammers who usually appear very convincing and authentic often support their claims with detailed information, such as citation numbers and their badge numbers. They also spoof official numbers of the Sheriff’s Office to contact their targets, making them believe the calls are genuine. Clay County residents who are victims of law enforcement scams can file reports with the Sheriff’s Office by calling (816) 407-3742. Residents can use reverse phone number lookup tools to query suspected scam phone numbers and unravel fraudsters’ identities.
What are Clay County Lottery Scams?
Scammers deceive their marks into paying money as a prerequisite to receiving purported lottery winnings. They pose as representatives of legitimate lottery companies or gaming commissioners and call to congratulate their targets on winning some amounts of money. Targeted residents are then asked to make payments to cover taxes on their cash prizes before they can access them. Scammers often instruct their marks to make payments via wire transfers since most of these scams typically originate from foreign countries. Elderly residents are the common targets of these scams as most of them have savings accumulated over their active years of service or retirement funds. Note that requests for upfront payments to collect prizes are scams and should be considered as such.
What are Clay County Power Utility Scams?
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office warns residents to end phone calls threatening to disconnect electricity unless they make immediate payments via prepaid debit cards. They are encouraged to notify the Sheriff’s Office of instances of these scams in which fraudsters impersonate Evergy employees and contact their marks about unpaid bills. Often, scammers spoof Evergy’s official phone numbers to establish legitimacy and facilitate targets’ compliance. Sometimes, scammers communicate with unsuspecting consumers by mailing fake energy bills and then follow up with phone calls to demand immediate payments. Services that provide free reverse phone number lookups can help Clay County residents unravel who called and avoid these scams. No Evergy employee will issue threats of service suspension or disconnection to consumers for unpaid energy bills over the phone. They will also never ask customers to use prepaid cards to pay for utility services.
What are Clay County COVID-19 Charity Scams?
These scams involve fraudsters claiming to represent legitimate charities aiding the fight against coronavirus and soliciting donations. The scammers exploit residents’ fears and the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic to steal from generous donors seeking to contribute to the fight against the virus. They may also ask county residents to make donations to help victims of the coronavirus, which they usually collect through unconventional payment means. Typical examples of such payment methods include cash, gift cards, and wire transfers. The Missouri Attorney General warns Missourians, including Clay County residents to be wary of such phone calls. Residents are also advised to do their homework when considering donating to charities. Do not be pressured or rushed into making donations, and make sure to ascertain that the charity is duly registered with the Missouri Office of the Attorney General. You can perform reverse phone lookups free of charge to verify whether such callers’ claims are authentic.
What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Robocalls disseminate pre-recorded messages to several phone numbers at the same time using computerized autodialers. They are often legitimately used for public service announcements, routine reminders like appointments, and telemarketing sales calls. However, their use in telemarketing is restricted to the consumers who have granted prior consent. Robocalls delivered without this consent are considered an offense and attract penalties from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Robocall makes it easy for numerous automated messages to be anonymously delivered to various recipients at a low cost. Scammers, taking advantage of these features, have abused robocalls and now use them to target unsuspecting Clay County residents for extortion. Robocalls enable scammers to impersonate businesses and institutions that county residents typically trust, therefore, increasing the success of their scam schemes. Residents of Clay County can use free reverse phone lookups to differentiate live phone calls from robocalls and avoid becoming victims of phone scams.
You can adhere to the following steps to protect yourself from illegal robocalls and avoid scams:
- Ignore phone calls from unknown phone numbers and do not say “yes” if you mistakenly answer such calls. Scammers can record this response and use it to authorize transactions and withdraw funds from your bank account.
- Hang up and do not press any number if you answer a robocall by mistake. Also, do not respond to the recording because scammers deploy robocalls to identify active phone numbers for future robocalls and phone scams.
- Search online for public sites that provide free reverse phone search services to identify robocall numbers and block them.
- Report unwanted calls and other robocall violations to the FTC online. Residents of Clay County can also file complaints of robocall abuse with the Missouri OAG by calling (866) 289-9633.
- Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Register to limit unwanted robocalls from telemarketers. Residents of Clay County can also sign up on Missouri Do Not Call List to enjoy the same service within the state.
- Check the FTC website to access information on how to block unwanted calls on any platform.
How Can You Spot and Report Clay County Phone Scams?
The best way to spot phone scams in Clay County is by acquiring phone scam education and being vigilant. Phone scammers typically hide their identities when preying on their targets. They use phone spoofing technology to falsify their targets’ caller ID information and identify as legitimate callers. You can guard against phone scams by learning how scammers operate and the different tactics they use in their schemes.
While on a phone call, watch out for the following red flags to determine if it is a scam call:
- Callers who call you repeatedly and try to pressure you to decide immediately and take action on advertised offers are likely scammers. Legitimate institutions usually allow individuals to take their time to consider their options.
- Unknown persons who call you unexpectedly and request confidential information such as social security numbers, bank account details, credit card numbers, PINs, and account passwords. Phone scammers target these types of information and often use them to commit identity and financial theft.
- Request for secrecy from unverified callers is an indication of a scam. Scammers typically try to avoid detection by warning their marks or appealing to them to keep their encounters secret.
- Scammers usually fool their marks with offers that appear overly attractive. They may promise high profits for little financial commitments and risks in a bid to get them to send money or share personal information.
- Scammers request payments via irregular payment channels such as wire transfers, debit/credit cards, gift cards, and cryptocurrencies. These channels make it generally impossible for law enforcement to track or reverse financial transactions completed through them.
Applications that offer phone number lookup services by name and address are also helpful in identifying phone scams. Government agencies protecting Clay County residents from phone scams and offering assistance to phone scam victims include:
Clay County Sheriff’s Office: The Sheriff’s Office prevents crimes in the county. They also make efforts to curb the menace of phone scams by regularly sensitizing county residents about common scams. County residents who are scam victims can file complaints with the Sheriff’s Office by calling (816) 407-3750.
Missouri Office of the Attorney General: The Missouri OAG ensures that Missourians, including Clay County residents, have access to a fair, honest, and competitive business environment. They also investigate deceptive and unfair commercial practices. The OAG protects consumers from scams and unwanted robocalls by enforcing consumer protection laws and maintaining Missouri Do Not Call List. Clay County residents can enlist their phone numbers by calling (866) 662-2551. You can file reports of phone scams and violations against the state DNC list by calling the Missouri AGO at 1 (800) 392-8222 or online.
Federal Trade Commission: The FTC regulates the American marketplace and protects consumers from frauds, deceptions, and unfair business practices. Through the National Do Not Call Registry, the FTC protects registered residents from unwanted calls and bars telemarketers’ solicitations to consumers without their consent. They also offer call-blocking tips and consumer protection education to further protect consumers from phone scams and identity theft. Clay County residents can submit reports of unwanted robocalls and phone scams online or by calling 1 (877) 382-4357.
Federal Communications Commission: The FCC regulates interstate and foreign communication in the United States, especially radio, television, and telephone communications. They also implement and enforce laws to protect residents from phone spoofing scams and illegal robocalls. The FCC accomplishes this by enabling phone carriers to block suspicious calls from reaching residents’ phones. They also allow consumers to use caller ID and blocking services to label and bar unknown calls. Clay County residents can file reports of phone spoofing scams and unwanted robocalls with the FCC online.