The 10 worst area codes for spam calls: Is yours on the list?

Are you getting bombarded with spam calls on your cell phone? You’re not alone.

A new report from call blocker protection company Hiya says that spam calls have increased 128% in the first half of 2019 compared to the same time last year.

Report: Spam calls changing American attitudes toward answering phones

Hiya’s “State of the Call” report, which analyzed phone call behavior, call pick-up rates, call duration and the like for the first half of the year shows that spam calls are changing American attitudes toward phone calls in general.

“Only 48% of calls Americans receive on their phones are picked up, which means that more than half of all calls are unanswered,” the report summary says.

Among the key findings of the report are that, on average:

• A person receives 93 calls a month
• 46 of those calls are from numbers “not saved in contacts”
• 16 of those calls are spam calls

The findings also shed light on which unlucky regions are receiving the most spam calls.

The Dallas, Texas area came in first (last?), according to Hiya. The report says that many spammers are spoofing their numbers to appear as if they originate from Southwest Airlines, which is headquartered in Dallas.

Top 10 Area Codes For Spam Calls In 2019
Rank	City & State	Area Code
1	Dallas, Texas	214
2	San Antonio, Texas	210
3	Fort Worth, Texas	817
4	Houston, Texas	832
5	Austin, Texas	512
6	Atlanta, Georgia	404
7	Miami, Florida	305
8	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma	405
9	Birmingham, Alabama	205
10	Las Vegas, Nevada	702

How to avoid spam calls the Clark Howard way

Money expert Clark Howard says he has a simple rule that allows his life not to be disrupted by spam calls:

“It’s a simple rule: If I don’t recognize the number as being from someone I know, I do not answer the call.”

More mobile stories on Clark.com:

• The best cell phone plans and deals right now
• How to stop robocalls for good
• Can YouMail really put an end to robocalls?