What are Sandoval County Area Codes?
Sandoval County area codes are the initial three-digit numbers of registered phone numbers in the county. Area codes, created by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), help to identify telephone service areas in North America. They divide geographic regions into Numbering Plan Areas (NPAs). The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC) regulates telecommunication in the state and administers area codes. Currently, two area codes serve Sandoval County. These are:
Area Code 505
Area code 505 is a New Mexico area code covering the central and northwestern parts of the state. It was put into service in 1947 as one of the original 86 NPAs. Cities and towns in Sandoval County within the 505 NPA include Bernalillo, Pena Blanca, Counselor, and Cuba,
Area Code 575
Area code 575 was put into service in 2007 and created from a split of the 505 NPA. Cities and towns it serves in Sandoval County include Jemez Pueblo, Jemez Springs, and San Ysidro.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Sandoval County?
Sandoval County residents enjoy coverage by the four major phone carriers in America. However, the quality of network signal and spread of these carriers differs across the county. The City of Bernalillo enjoys coverage of 96% by T-Mobile, while Verizon has 88% cover. Sprint spreads over 72% of the city, while AT&T, with 70%, has the least network coverage in the city. Other smaller network providers known as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) are available in the county and provide affordable network services to residents.
The adoption of wireless telephony services in New Mexico has grown over the years as more residents continue to put away their landline phones. The results from a 2018 National Center for Health Statistics Survey for New Mexico showed that only 1.0% of the children population still used landlines strictly for telecommunication. In contrast, 81.5% of them had fully adopted cell phones. Similarly, about 66.4% of adults in the state relied solely on wireless phones, while only 4.1% still used landlines exclusively.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), a telephony service that uses IP networks to transmit calls, texts, and video calls, is readily available in Sandoval County. When compared with landlines, it provides more affordable plans with greater flexibility. As a result, many county residents are adopting it as an alternative for telecommunication. VoIP providers in the county have suitable subscription packages for both personal and business use
What are Sandoval County Phone Scams?
Sandoval County phone scams are illegal acts that leverage live phone calls, robocalls, and text messages to steal personal information and money from county residents. Fraudsters employ various tactics to obtain their victim's confidential information to commit financial and identity theft. Most phone scammers use phone spoofing technology to make their phone numbers display like those of reputable government agencies and businesses. Phone spoofing enables them to remain discrete while defrauding targets. However, residents can uncover the real identities of suspicious callers using reverse phone lookup services and avoid falling prey to phone scams.
Several public agencies protect residents against phone scams in Sandoval County. They include:
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
- Sandoval County Sheriff's Office
- New Mexico Office of the Attorney General
- New Mexico Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Some common scams in Sandoval County are:
What are Sandoval County Advance Fee scams?
Fraudsters convince their targets to make upfront payments in anticipation of products or services of much greater value. These scams come in different forms but are geared towards exploiting county residents. In a version, fraudsters call unsuspecting Sandoval County residents and offer them attractive jobs. Typically, they present remote jobs with flexible work hours and high remuneration. However, to secure the position, targets will be required to pay registration fees or purchase instruction manuals. Unfortunately, many residents take this bait and fall prey to scammers who do not have any job to offer. They are only interested in doing away with stealing their target's money. In another variant of this scam, fake loan companies approve credit facilities for residents but demand upfront payments for insurance, management fees, and taxes. Such companies are usually uninterested in their target's credit background and insist on collecting the required fees via wire transfers or gift cards. Sadly, victims never hear from the purported loan companies once they pay these fees. Scammers may also announce lucky lottery wins to residents who never registered in lottery contests. They use prospects of the jackpot prize to deceive victims into paying money as processing fees or sharing their bank details. Any information that the scammer gets can easily be used for identity or financial fraud.
The FTC encourages residents to learn more about any opportunity they get before committing themselves financially, especially when unsolicited. Residents targeted by advance-fee scams can report to the FTC. They can run the callers’ phone numbers through applications that offer suspicious phone number lookup services.
What are Sandoval County Arrest Warrant Scams?
Fraudsters claiming to be employees of the Sheriff's Office, the District Court, or other government agencies make unsolicited phone calls to Sandoval County residents, informing them of warrants issued for their arrest. They could come up with different reasons for issuing such warrants, such as tax evasion or traffic violations. The scammer mentions specific bond amounts which their targets must pay promptly to avoid arrest. They often insist on wire transfers, prepaid debit cards, and gift cards for the payments. Usually, scammers manipulate their caller IDs to display the names of legitimate government agencies and employ threats to make targets give in to their demands. Residents are advised to hang up on unknown callers making such threats or demands and contact the Sheriff's Office or any other agency mentioned in the call to verify the callers. Usually, legitimate law enforcement agencies do not call ahead of arrests when a warrant is issued, nor will they demand bond payments over the phone.
When targets dispute the callers’ claims, these scammers will request confidential information for supposed verifications of such warrants. They can use the information they garner to steal their victims’ identities or money. Sandoval County residents can use free reverse phone lookup services to verify callers' actual identities and report such incidents to the Sheriff's Office.
What are Sandoval County Social Security Scams?
This scam targets millions of Americans receiving social security benefits. Fraudsters who claim to be with the Social Security Administration (SSA) call county residents to obtain social security numbers and other personal or banking information. They sometimes coerce targets into paying for services which the SSA provides freely and threaten to discontinue their marks’ benefits if they fail to comply. They may also claim that targets’ social security numbers are linked to several criminal activities. They insist that their marks provide specific personal details to verify their profiles and dissociate from those crimes. Sometimes, the scammers sound friendly and pretend to walk their victims through the steps of obtaining new SSA cards or enrolling new family members. Scammers aim to glean personal information in the process. They usually spoof their phone numbers, but residents can use reverse phone lookup services to identify spoofed calls and avoid social security scams.
What are Sandoval County Utility Scams?
Scammers posing as representatives of utility companies call Sandoval County residents to demand payment of delinquent utility bills. They threaten to disconnect residents' utility services if they do not make immediate payments. Scammers target peak periods like winter or mid-summer when weather conditions are most unfavorable to launch their attacks. Unfortunately, many residents fall prey and make payments to avoid getting disconnected from electricity, water, or gas supply. In another variant, the callers offer to enroll their targets in a government program that minimizes monthly energy bills. They sometimes inform unsuspecting marks about utility overpayments and request bank accounts and other personal details for refunds. The scammers gather as much information as possible to enable them to commit identity and financial theft.
Residents should never be pressured into complying with the demands of unknown callers. You can run such a caller's phone number through a good reverse phone lookup application to know who called. Never send money or reveal confidential information to unverified persons posing as utility company representatives. Instead, contact your utility provider directly on their official phone numbers to verify the caller. Chances are, they are fraudsters trying to rip you off. Legitimate utility providers will never forcefully collect information or elicit payments from residents over the phone.
What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Robocalls use automatic dialers to deliver recorded messages to bulk phone numbers. Typically, robocalls are inundating and intrusive. Although telemarketers, government agencies, and political campaign organizations use robocalls for legitimate purposes, they are also tools for scams. Scammers often spoof robocalls to fool their targets and steal from them. Reverse number lookup applications can help residents identify spoofed robocalls and avoid scams. Spam calls are irrelevant calls distributed to mass phone numbers of persons who never indicated prior interests in receiving such calls. To avoid robocall scams, you can take any of the following actions:
- File an online complaint about robocall abuse with the FTC or call 1 (888) 382-1222 to report.
- Hang up immediately you realize you answered a robocall without responding to its prompts. Following robocall instructions can sign you up for more robocall intrusions.
- Bar identified robocall numbers from contacting you in the future by using a third-party call blocking application. You can also check the FCC's tips on blocking unwanted robocalls to avoid scams.
- Register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce the frequency of incoming robocalls. You can call 1 (888) 382-1222 to input your phone number in the DNC registry.
How Can You Spot and Report Sandoval County Phone Scams?
Sandoval County residents can recognize scam calls by keeping abreast with information on the latest scams. There are public agencies that educate residents about prevalent scams in the county and scammers' new schemes. Reverse phone number lookup services can provide information on callers behind suspicious phone numbers and prevent you from taking scammers' bait. The following are signs of imminent phone scams:
- An unknown caller intentionally evades your questions about their investment propositions and documents to back up their offer but persuades you to invest your money.
- The caller claims to be with a reputable company or government agency but demands payment through odd channels like gift cards, cryptocurrencies, or wire transfers. These channels make payments untraceable, and legitimate businesses will not choose those routes.
- A caller claims you won a lottery in a competition you never entered and demands payment before you can claim your winnings.
- A caller poses as a government official but sounds unfriendly and uses threats to intimidate you into sharing financial or personal information. Legitimate government bodies will never threaten residents or demand sensitive information over the phone.
Sandoval County residents can file reports of phone scams to any of the following public agencies:
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC): The FCC is actively involved in the fights against the menace of phone scams and unlawful robocalls. Sandoval County residents who are victims of robocall scams and other phone scams can report to the FCC by calling 1-888-225-5322 or online.
- Sandoval County Sheriff's Office (SCSO): Residents can report phone scam cases to the SCSO by calling (505) 867-7526. Alternatively, you can file your complaint in person by visiting the SCSO at 1500 Idalia Road, Building A, Bernalillo, NM 87004.
- New Mexico Attorney General's Office: The Consumer and Environmental Protection Division of the New Mexico Attorney General's Office protects Sandoval County residents from scams. County residents who are victims of phone scams can file complaints online with the OAG.
- New Mexico Better Business Bureau (BBB): The BBB protects consumers from unlawful business practices and investigates reports it gets on fraudulent businesses. Sandoval County residents scammed by companies can report to the BBB by calling 1 (505) 346-0110.
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC manages the Do Not Call Registry, which protects county residents from phone scams, particularly those perpetrated with robocalls. Sandoval County residents who are phone scam victims can file complaints with the FTC.