What Is a Pulaski County Reverse Phone Lookup?
Several online services conduct a phone number lookup. Generally, these services answer concerns like "who called me?" or "who is this number registered to?" While there are free phone number lookup services, the details available through these services are basic. 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 available through paid reverse phone search services are in most cases more detailed. Besides name and city, a search can provide info 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 determine unknown callers, which is useful for identifying scam callers. Another use for this service is finding information about lost contacts or when you forget the name of somebody who gave you their phone number.
What Are Pulaski County Area Codes?
Pulaski County area codes are the special 3 digits that begin every phone number belonging to an individual, business, or government office in Pulaski County. A normal Pulaski County phone number begins with 540 or 276, the area codes assigned to the county by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA).
NANPA introduced area codes to simplify long-distance phone calls. Today, all North American phone numbers have area codes. These digits differentiate towns and cities as numbering plan areas, or NPAs, for the function of making phone calls.
Although the NANPA assigns area codes in North America, the Virginia State Corporation Commission oversees the assignment of area codes to municipalities in Virginia. There are currently 2 area codes that cover Pulaski County.
Area Code 540
Phone numbers that start with 540 tend to belong to somebody in Pulaski County. Nevertheless, Pulaski County is among many counties under the 540 NPA. So, a number beginning with 540 may also belong to somebody in a bordering municipality under the same NPA.
Area Code 276
Phone numbers that begin with 276 may also be registered to someone in Pulaski County. However, this county also shares the 276 NPA with several other counties. So, it is most likely that a number beginning with 276 may even belong to an individual in another municipality.
What Are the Best Cell Phone Providers in Pulaski County?
The best cell phone plan to pick in Pulaski County is based on the user's specific location and the service provider coverage. Telephone service is normally better in the cities than in the hills and the rural regions. The 3 main phone service companies in Pulaski County are AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile.
Phone service providers in Pulaski County have varying coverage levels. AT&T gives the best coverage, followed by Verizon Wireless. T-Mobile has the least range amongst these major operators, but it is not far from the others.
Meanwhile, major phone service companies also rent out their technology to the smaller Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). In turn, MVNOs leverage this technology to provide more affordable phone plans in Pulaski County.
VoIP Phone Service in Pulaski County
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a service that lets a user make calls using the internet instead of traditional lines or radio waves.
The service works like a regular phone line and has all the call features a user would usually get from a traditional phone company along with advanced call management. VoIP calls are also faster, clearer, more secure, and several times less expensive than regular calls.
What Are Pulaski County Phone Scams?
A phone scam is when a person uses a phone call to trick another individual to send money or share delicate valuable information over the phone.
In Pulaski County, phone scams usually take place when a person receives an unsolicited call. The unknown caller uses various tactics to convince, trick, or scare a person into sending money or disclosing sensitive details about themselves.
Many phone scams are random, but scams can be targeted when the scammer has some information about the unwary victim.
What Are Pulaski County Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Robocalls are automated calls from tools made to reach many people at once and cheaply.
Political organizers and telemarketers trying to reach a mass audience were the common users of robocalls. These entities usually work off a phone list to obtain votes or market a product to a number of individuals simultaneously.
In the case of scammers, the objective is to reach multiple possible victims simultaneously. However, scammers do not always have the similar database that campaigners and legitimate telemarketers have. So, they frequently use tools to make up random numbers and call those numbers automatically.
How to Spot Pulaski County Phone Scams
Knowing how to discern and avoid scam calls can help safeguard 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 helpful against spoofed caller IDs or when the caller is a human impostor. In this case, watching out for common red flags can help spot a phone scam.
Signs of a Phone Scam
The very first red flag is when the caller pretends to be a government official or a company's agent. Legit employees of public or private services do not generally call out of the blues. Instead, they mail letters first and call as a last resort.
Another warning is when the caller requests money or certain details like complete name, social security number, banking details, and passwords. A real official or company employee does not require this comprehensive information to help you.
And most of all, watch out for threats or implied urgency during calls. These are scare tactics employed to con an individual into providing sensitive details.
How to Report Pulaski County Phone Scams
Scam calls break federal laws. If you have received or fallen for a phone scam in Pulaski County, report the scam as quickly as you can. Doing this helps public agencies hold scammers responsible and, sometimes, recover the money. Public agencies that help Pulaski County residents fight phone scams include:
Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office is the county's main law enforcement agency. Residents should file reports of phone scams with the Sheriff's Office by calling (540) 980-7800. Residents can visit the law enforcement agency's building during service hours.
802 East Main Street
Pulaski, VA 24301
Phone: (540) 980-7800
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 set up the National Do Not Call Registry to protect residents from unsolicited calls from telemarketers and services.
Putting your number on this registry prohibits telemarketers from reaching you in the first place. For further details on call-blocking and preventing scams, visit the FTC resource page. Concerned 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 illegal or scam calls. Tips on preventing undesirable robocalls and phone scams are offered on the FCC website. Victims of robocall or phone spoofing scams can submit complaints with the FCC.