What Is an Essex County Reverse Phone Lookup?
Several online services conduct a phone number lookup. Generally, these services answer questions like "who called me?" or "who is this number signed up to?" While there are free phone number lookup services, the details that are available through these services are plain. At best, a searcher can expect to see details like the registered phone number owner's name and city.
On the other hand, the information accessible through paid reverse phone search services are in most cases more detailed. Besides name and city, a search can also expect to see information like the unknown caller's public records and social media profiles.
What You Can Do With Reverse Phone Search
A reverse phone search can help you identify unidentified callers, which is useful for finding scam callers. Another use for this service is finding information about lost contacts or when you forget the name of someone who gave you their phone number.
What Are Essex County Area Codes?
Essex County area codes are the special 3 digits that start every phone number belonging to an individual, company, or government office in Essex County. A normal Essex County number begins with 804, the area code assigned to the county by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA).
NANPA introduced area codes to streamline long-distance phone calls. Today, all North American phone numbers have area codes. These digits distinguish towns and cities as numbering plan areas, or NPAs, for the function of making phone calls.
The NANPA assigns area codes in North America, the Virginia State Corporation Commission manages the assignment of area codes to towns in Virginia. There is currently 1 area code that covers Essex County.
Area Code 804
Phone numbers that start with 804 tend to belong to somebody in Essex County. Nevertheless, Essex County is among many counties under the 804 NPA. So, a number beginning with 804 might also belong to someone in a neighboring municipality under the same NPA.
What Are the Best Cell Phone Providers in Essex County?
The best cell phone plan to select in Essex County is based on the user's location and the service provider’s phone coverage. Telephone service is normally better in the cities than in the hills and the rural areas. The 3 main phone service providers in Essex County are AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile.
Phone service companies in Essex County have varying coverage levels. AT&T gives the best phone coverage, followed by Verizon Wireless. T-Mobile has the least range among these major operators, but it is not far from the others.
On the other hand, major phone service companies also rent out their technology to smaller Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). In turn, MVNOs leverage this technology to offer more affordable phone plans in Essex County.
VoIP Phone Service in Essex County
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a service that lets a user make calls using the internet instead of standard lines or radio waves.
The service works like a regular phone line and has all the call features a user would normally get from a traditional phone company as well as advanced call management. VoIP calls are also faster, clearer, more secure, and several times less expensive than regular calls.
What Are Essex County Phone Scams?
A phone scam is when a person uses a phone call to trick another individual to send money or share sensitive valuable information over the phone.
In Essex County, phone scams usually occur when a person gets an unsolicited phone call. The unknown caller uses various tactics to convince, trick, or intimidate a person into sending money or revealing sensitive information about themselves.
Most phone scams are random, but scams can be targeted when the scammer has some information about the unsuspecting victim.
What Are Essex County Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Robocalls are automated calls from tools made to reach numerous people at once and inexpensively.
Political organizers and telemarketers trying to reach a mass audience were the common users of robocalls. These entities normally work off a phone list to solicit votes or market an item to numerous individuals at once.
In the case of scammers, the objective is to reach many potential victims at once. Fraudsters do not always have the exact same database that campaigners and legitimate telemarketers have. They often use software to make up random numbers and call those numbers automatically.
How to Spot Essex County Phone Scams
Knowing how to discern and avoid scam calls can help protect personal privacy and money. For starters, consider using spam call detectors on smartphones.
These detectors cross-check incoming calls with a database of known scam callers and automatically block the call. Although efficient, these apps are less successful against spoofed caller IDs or when the caller is a human impostor. In this case, looking out for common warnings can help spot a phone scam.
Signs of a Phone Scam
The first warning is when the caller pretends to be a government official or company representative. Legit employees of public or private services do not typically call out of the blues. Rather, they post letters before anything else and call as a last resort.
Another warning is when the caller asks for money or precise information like full name, social security number, banking details, and passwords. A genuine official or company employee does not need this comprehensive information to assist you.
And most of all, look out for threats or suggested urgency during calls. These are scare tactics employed to trick an individual into providing sensitive information.
How to Report Essex County Phone Scams
Scam calls breach federal laws. If you have received or fallen for a phone scam in Essex County, report the scam as soon as you can. Doing this helps public agencies hold scammers responsible and, occasionally, assist people to get their money back. Public agencies that help Essex County residents fight phone scams consist of:
Essex County Sheriff’s Office
The Essex County Sheriff's Office is the county's main law enforcement agency. Residents should submit reports of phone scams to the Sheriff's Office by calling (804) 443-3346. Alternatively, residents can check out the law enforcement agency's office during service hours.
304 Prince Street
Tappahannock, VA 22560
Phone: (804) 443-3346
Virginia State Corporation Commission
The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) is the state agency in charge of consumer protection in Virginia. Residents who have complaints about their phone service or scams may file a complaint with the Commission. The agency also maintains a resource page for spotting and avoiding common scams in Virginia. Persons affected by phone scams may file an online complaint or call (804) 371-9967.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The FTC is the federal agency charged with consumer protection. The FTC instituted the National Do Not Call Registry to protect residents from unsolicited calls from telemarketers and services.
Adding your number to this registry restricts telemarketers from reaching you in the first place. For additional details on call-blocking and avoiding scams, browse through the FTC resource page. Interested individuals may also report scams and robocalls to the FTC by calling 1 (888) 382-1222.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
The FCC regulates interstate and international communications in the U.S. and also protects customers from prohibited or scam calls. Tips on preventing unwanted robocalls and phone scams are readily available on the FCC site. Victims of robocall or phone spoofing scams can submit complaints with the FCC.