Medina County Reverse Phone Lookup

What are Medina County Area Codes?

The Bell System created the North American Numbering Plan in the 1940s. Part of the plan included the use of area codes to replace the cumbersome call operations system which required human operators to connect calls across the existing telephony communications system. Area codes were formed as three-digit prefixes added to seven-digit telephone numbers to route calls through the different geographical areas that were created. Each geographical area has its own area code. Hence, using area codes helped to automate calls and removed the reliance on human operators in connecting calls. You can find the area code of any geographical area in the United States by using an area code lookup tool online.

Area codes 330 and 234 are the area codes currently serving Medina County.

Area Code 330

Area code 330 was created from area code 216 and was first used on March 9, 1996. In 2000, area code 234 was created to serve as an overlay to the 330-area code. Area code 330 is the only area code serving the Cities of Akron, Youngstown, and Canton. Other locations served by the 330-area code include Cuyahoga Falls, Warren, Boardman, Stow, and Brunswick.

Area Code 234

Area code 234 is an overlay for the 330-area code and serves the same area. It was first used on October 30, 2000. Other locations within this area code include Massillon, Austintown, Medina, Barberton, and Kent.

What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Medina County?

Competition among wireless carriers in the American wireless communications industry has meant that services have improved dramatically, and cell phone plans have become more affordable. Wireless telephony also offers increased flexibility and mobility features which altogether have necessitated its rapid adoption in Medina County. Estimates from a survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics in 2018 indicated that 58.5% of Ohio residents aged 18 and above used wireless telephony while 4.3% used landline-only telephony service. Among residents under the age of 18, 71.8% used wireless telephony service exclusively, while only 2.0% used landline telephony service exclusively.

When searching for a cell phone plan, you are usually looking for one that gives you enough minutes, text messages, and data to fit your needs. These features are highlighted by service providers in minutes covered, available text messages, and data limits. However, no matter how good the features or price on a cell phone plan looks, it is not worth your money if the provider's network is poor or non-existent in your local area.

Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint provide wireless services in the cities and towns in Medina County. Hence, chances are good that your local area will be covered by the four major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). In the county's largest city of Brunswick, Verizon has the best overall coverage with a coverage score of 94%. T-Mobile's coverage is rated 92%, Sprint's coverage is rated 74%, while AT&T has a coverage score of 60%.

Medina County residents are not limited to using phone services from one of the four major MNOs. They can also choose from other quality cell phone carriers operating in their areas. These are Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that purchase network capacity from existing MNOs. Since MVNOs do not own their own wireless network infrastructure, they sometimes offer cheaper cell phone plans under certain conditions.

Although VoIP has been around for a while, it has recently become much more popular because of affordable pricing. VoIP is short for Voice over Internet Protocol, a technology that allows users to make calls over broadband internet connections. VoIP offers unrestricted customization, which is a major advantage over traditional telephone service. VoIP users can change their area codes and use features such as three-way calling, international calling, call waiting, and call blocking. Since VoIP does not require the majority of the infrastructure needed for cellular and wired telephony, VoIP calls are cheaper than the alternatives.

What are Medina County Phone Scams?

Medina County phone scams are fraudulent activities perpetrated using phone calls by fraudsters to extort money or private information from Medina County residents. Phone scammers then use illegally obtained private information to perpetrate fraud. These con artists follow news headlines and gather information about their targets from online sites to take advantage of them by using deceitful, high-pressure cold calls, robocalls, or texts that trick people into compromising their personal information or losing money. Common phone scams in Medina County include sweepstakes scams, IRS scams, credit card scams, and can-you-hear-me scams. Phone lookup applications can help unmask the real identities of phone scammers.

 

What are Medina County Sweepstakes Scams?

Winning a big prize can be a dream come true for many. However, that dream can become a nightmare if what you believe to be a legitimate win notification turns out to be a sweepstakes scam. In a sweepstakes scam, you receive a phone call from someone claiming to represent a big company saying that you have won a big prize such as a high-end computing device, smartphone, and other premium gadgets or equipment. Typically, such calls are from sweepstakes competitions that you did not enter.

To obtain your winnings or prize, the caller requires you to send money to cover taxes, shipping, or processing. Payment is also required to be made by wire transfer or prepaid debit card. Note that you never have to pay upfront to receive a legitimate prize. Sweepstakes taxes are paid directly to the Internal Revenue Service along with your regular tax return. Medina County residents may use free reverse phone lookup tools to ascertain the true origins of suspicious phone numbers.

What are Medina County Credit Card Scams?

The credit card scam has been around for some time, yet unsuspecting residents remain viable targets. Medina County residents have reported receiving telephone calls from persons claiming to work with credit card companies. The scammers claimed to have noticed fraudulent activities linked with their credit card information. They sound very official, providing their addresses, giving them claim numbers, saying that they will remove the fraudulent charges. Some of these scammers sound so brazen that they even ask targets to call back with any questions they may have.

During the phone conversations, credit card scammers say that they need to verify that targets have the cards they are calling about and subsequently ask for the three-digit security codes on their cards. Armed with that information, credit card scammers can charge victims’ credit cards for whatever purchases they feel like. Note that credit card companies will not call you out of the blue and ask for your personal information. Instead, they send emails or text messages asking you to call in as soon as you can. Even then, do not click on any links in the emails or text messages or call any phone numbers that are provided. You can use a reverse cell phone lookup tool to verify if a caller’s identity matches the name given.

What are Medina County IRS Scams?

IRS scams are one of the most common scams in Medina County. Scammers spoof caller IDs to mimic the telephone caller ID of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Sometimes, IRS scammers have obtained important information about their targets such as full names, addresses, and other personal details to make the calls sound official. They use fake names, titles, and badges to sound and appear legitimate. Some even go as far as copying the official IRS letterhead for use in emails that are later sent to the targets after contacting them by phone calls.

IRS scammers inform their targets that they owe back taxes to the IRS which must be paid immediately. They threaten targets with arrests, deportation, imprisonments, or revocations of licenses. Payment is typically requested through iTunes cards, wire transfers, or prepaid debit cards. Reverse phone number lookup applications can prevent residents from falling victim to phone scams.

What are Medina County Can You Hear Me Scams?

If you receive a phone call from someone asking, "can you hear me?", chances are that you have been targeted in the can-you-hear-me scam. The con is aimed at getting the target to say the word "yes" in a phone conversation. The affirmative response is recorded by the con artist and used to authorize unwanted charges to the victim's accounts. For instance, a recorded response can be used to authorize charges on a phone or utility bill or a purloined credit card.

Note that you can be charged for a purchase even if you have not been provided a payment method. Many phone providers pass through third-party charges. When victims dispute the charges made to their accounts, the con artists can counter such claims by saying their consents have been obtained through the recorded messages. To verify that callers are who they say they are, you can use good reverse phone lookup tools online to quickly do a number lookup or reverse number lookup.

What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?

Sometimes referred to as voice broadcasting, a robocall is any telephone call that delivers a prerecorded message using an automatic or computerized telephone dialing system. Robocalls are popularly used by industries such as real estate, telemarketing, and direct sales companies. The majority of companies that use robocalls are legitimate businesses. However, some are fraudulent businesses that place countless calls to residents. These kinds of calls are annoying and are recognized as spam calls.

Many of the spam calls placed to Medina County residents are spam calls aimed at defrauding them. In 2020, over 1.8 billion robocalls were placed to Ohio residents. Between January and March 2021, these residents received over 531 million robocalls - an average of 42.7 calls per person. Medina County residents can use phone lookup services to identify if incoming calls are robocalls. You can also follow these guidelines to limit the scourge of robocalls:

• Register your numbers on the national Do-Not-Call List: Although scammers may find ways around the Do-Not-Call Registry, it is still a good idea to add your number to the registry. That way, you will get fewer robocalls from companies following the 2019 Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED). The act increases penalties and requires phone companies to validate calls before they reach you. Call (888) 382-1222 from the phone you want to register or register online at DoNotCall. Register your home and cellphone numbers or confirm those numbers are already on the list.
• Set up your voicemail: One of the easiest methods to fight robocalls is to screen calls through your voicemail. Telemarketers often hang up when the call goes to voicemail.
• Use your smartphone's number-blocking feature: If you get an unsolicited call, you can block that number for good. Check your phone call settings to activate this feature. This is usually an effective option for many people.
• Ask your phone company about call-blocking services: Many phone service providers offer free call-blocking features. You may contact your provider to find out if one is included in your plan or may be purchased as an add-on service.
• Download a third-party call-blocking application: You can find one on any of the major mobile application stores. Examples include Hiya, Truecaller, and Nomorobo.
• Hang up on robocalls. If you answer a call and hear a recorded message instead of a live operator, hang up immediately. Do not follow any instructions provided on the call.

How to Spot and Report Medina County Phone Scams?

Phone scams are not a new thing. However, scammers are getting bolder, more devious, and more sophisticated in their acts. Scammers can spoof phone numbers pretending to be from local area codes or numbers that are known to the targets. Reverse number lookup tools can help Medina County residents spot phone scams. You may also look out for these telltale signs when you receive calls from unsolicited persons:

• The caller asks you to make payment using specific payment methods. Scammers do not want to be traced. Therefore, requests for payments are usually preferred through wire transfers, cryptocurrencies, prepaid debit cards, and gift cards. If an unsolicited caller insists you have to pay through any of these means, be wary.
• The caller threatens or intimidates you. To try to spur you into action, scammers may include threats in their calls. For instance, they may say that your bank account will be permanently deleted if you do not reset your password through the links that they have provided. Hang up immediately and use call-blocking services or tools to stop the caller from reaching you.
• The caller claims you have won a prize or lottery but need to make a payment to obtain the prize. Scammers who use this trick typically claim payments are for processing, taxes, or shipping. Do not take the bait.
• The caller tries to rush you into making a decision: A scammer may try to hurry you into making a decision. This trick is often employed by scammers spoofing numbers known to you. Do not let them rush you into giving up vital information. This is how they get you to slip up and give them what they want.
• The caller asks you to confirm an account detail by providing personal information: A reputable company or government agency will never ask for your password, bank PIN, or Social Security number either over the phone or by email. If they need you to reset your password, they will send you a link to a secure page on their official site, which will allow you to do it safely. You also should not have to give an unknown person your private information.

Very few phone scams are reported, which leaves con artists free to rob other people of their money and information. If you are fallen victim or have been contacted by a scammer, you can file complaints with any of the following public bodies:

• The Medina County Sheriff’s Office and local police departments: If you have received a call from a scammer, you can contact your local police department or the Medina County Sheriff's Office at (330) 725-6631. In Brunswick, you can contact the Brunswick Police Department at (330) 225-9111.
• The Ohio Attorney General’s Office:  To report a scam, you can file a complaint online to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office or by calling the office at (800)282-0515.
• Federal Communications Commission: If you receive unwanted robocalls and text messages, you can file a report online with the FCC.
• Federal Trade Commission - The FTC protects consumers from deceptive and fraudulent practices. You can file a phone scam report with the FTC by completing the online complaint form.
• The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA): Report IRS imposters to the TIGTA. To report by phone, call TIGTA at (800) 366-4484.