What are Jefferson County Area Codes?
Jefferson County area codes identify the designated Numbering Plan Areas (NPAs) in the county. Area codes are the three-digit codes at the beginning of American phone numbers. They were created by the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). The Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) manages and implements area codes in the state, including Jefferson County.
The only active area code currently serving Jefferson County is 502:
Area Code 502
Area code 502 entered into service in 1947. It is a Kentucky telephone area code serving Jefferson County and many other Kentucky counties. Jefferson County cities that are part of the 502 NPA include Louisville, Glenview, and Prospect.
What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Jefferson County?
Landline phones are gradually disappearing from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of 2018, only 5.7% of adult Kentuckians still used only landline phones for telephony services. An estimated 61.9% of them had exclusively adopted wireless telecommunication services. A 2018 CDC survey reported this conclusion and this trend also indicated the state of telephony services in Jefferson County.
All the major phone carriers are operational in Jefferson County. While some county locations may not enjoy full network services, most places boast exceptional coverage. Verizon has the best coverage with signals in 96% of the City of Louisville while AT&T provides 88% cover. T-Mobile has 74% coverage and Sprint covers 72% of the city.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services offer Jefferson County residents alternative and cost-effective means of communication. It provides many features that are lacking in traditional telephony services or come at extra charges. VoIP transmits voice and video calls over the internet for online real-time communication. Many Jefferson County businesses have adopted VoIP for its numerous advantages over traditional phone services, such as the ability to hold virtual meetings across various locations.
What are Jefferson County Phone Scams?
Phone scams are acts committed using telephone services with the goal of obtaining confidential information illegally and stealing money from unsuspecting residents. Phone scammers can commit identity theft with the personal information they obtain from their victims. Reverse phone lookup services can help uncover the identities of persons running phone scams in Jefferson County.
The Kentucky Office of the Attorney General (OAG) partners with local law enforcement agencies to shield Jefferson County residents from extortion and other crimes. It educates them on how to protect themselves against phone scams. Phone scam victims in Jefferson County can report online to the OAG or call the Louisville Office on (502) 429-7134. Residents can text KYOAG Scam to 468311 from their phone numbers to receive alerts of current scam trends within the county and across the state. This is a messaging service provided by the OAG.
The most-commonly reported phone scams in Jefferson County include:
What are Deputy Sheriff Impersonation Scams?
If you receive a telephone call from an unknown person claiming to be a deputy sheriff and asking you to pay money, hang up. The phone call is a scam and a reverse phone lookup can help you retrieve the caller's real identity. Usually, scammers impersonating law enforcement officers will claim that federal warrants are out in their targets’ names. They tell targets that paying money will result in the withdrawal of these warrants. The scammers will threaten to arrest targets who they perceive as unwilling to comply. They typically demand payment via prepaid cards and cryptocurrencies.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) advises residents against believing such impostors. Its deputies will never request payment or threaten residents over the phone. They will also not demand payments via such untraceable channels. The JCSO encourages residents who are contacted with these types of claims to report them by calling (502) 574-5400.
What are IRS Scams?
While they are most prevalent during tax season, scammers impersonate Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) employees all-year round to defraud taxpayers. They will contact their targets about taxes owed to the IRS and request that they send gift cards or wire money to them. They threaten to arrest their would-be victims if they delay payment. These scammers may also ask for personal information such as social security numbers, dates of birth, and addresses to steal their victims’ identities. Jefferson County residents should know that the IRS does not call taxpayers without first initiating contact by mails.
Real IRS agents will never threaten to arrest residents or request payment over the phone. Anyone who does any of these while claiming to be from the IRS is a scammer. Report such calls online to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Residents who may have fallen victim to the IRS scams can file reports with the Louisville Office of the OAG by calling (502) 429-7134. They can also file online complaints with the FTC.
What are Grandparent Scams?
Grandparent scams have different variations and typically target senior citizens. Scammers prey on seniors' concern for their loved ones. They usually claim to be grandchildren who have been arrested and taken to jail in foreign countries. These scammers often place their calls at night to disorient targets that are probably already sleeping. These "grandchildren" will then plead that money be wired immediately to post bail. They also implore their targets not to tell anyone about the arrests.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office urges residents to always contact other relatives for confirmation when they receive these types of calls. Residents who have fallen victim can report the incidents online to the OAG or file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
What are COVID-19 Charity Scams?
Scammers are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to steal from Jefferson County residents in the guise of charities. They inform their targets that they are raising funds to assist coronavirus victims and businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic.Before making donations to charity fundraisers, query the legitimacy of such organizations. Do not donate by money transfer, cash, or gift card if you must contribute to charities. Legitimate fundraisers will not insist on donations via such channels.
Residents can familiarize themselves with the tips on charitable giving provided by the OAG. The OAG advises residents to donate only to trusted and legitimate charitable organizations if they must. Jefferson County residents who believe they may be victims of charity scams can report to the OAG by calling (502) 429-7134. Alternatively, residents can file reports with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office by calling (502) 574-5400.
What are Robocall Scams and Spam Calls?
Robocalls allow persons or organizations to disseminate information to a broad audience using auto dialers. The type of information robocalls deliver are pre-recorded messages. In Jefferson County, scammers often use robocalls. While several come from within the United States, most come from foreign callers using spoofed Caller IDs. To avoid robocall scams, your best options are:
- Run unknown caller numbers through applications that offer suspicious phone number lookup services. This will help you confirm if incoming calls are robocalls or not.
- End a call immediately you confirm it is a robocall or a spam call.
- Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry. This will stop legitimate telemarketers from contacting you via robocalls and other telemarketing calls after 31 days of registration.
- Contact your phone service provider about blocking robocall numbers. You can also use the third-party call-blocking applications on your cell phones to bar robocalls and spam numbers.
- If you are already on the FTC's DNC registry and have received an unsolicited call, you can file a complaint with the FTC or call 1 (888) 382-1222.
How Can You Spot and Report Jefferson County Phone Scams?
If you receive a telephone call or a text message making an unfounded solicitation for money or requesting sensitive information, it is a potential scam. On no account should you disclose personal information or send money over the phone. Jefferson County residents must be wary of fraudsters’ tactics if they want to avoid phone scams. To achieve this, they must always consciously look out for the signs of phone scams when receiving calls from unknown phone numbers. Some of these signs include:
- Scammers will try to use fear to persuade you if they realize you seem not to be convinced by their pitches.
- Scammers will request for your debit/credit card information. Legitimate entities will never request such information to receive payments, especially not on unsolicited phone calls.
- Scammers will ask you to pay to receive free items they claim you have won.
- Scammers are generally unwilling or unable to answer the questions you ask them about their offerings satisfactorily.
- Scammers may offer to send someone to pick up cash for payment or request that you mail the money. In other instances, they will insist on payments by wire transfers, prepaid cards, and they always want immediate payments.
- Scammers pose as government agents and threaten their targets with arrest and imprisonment. Government employees will never threaten residents over the phone with such punitive measures.
To stop scammers, some government agencies educate residents on how to avoid phone scams. Their modes of education range from publishing scam alerts to physical meetings with residents. Phone scams victims can also file reports with such agencies. They include:
Federal Trade Commission - The FTC recommends that ignoring calls from unknown numbers is the best way to avoid phone scams. They also tip residents on how to block unwanted calls while encouraging joining the DNC registry. Persons who are victims of phone scams in Jefferson County can file reports with the FTC by calling 1 (888) 382-1222 or online.
Kentucky Office of the Attorney General - The OAG sensitizes residents on protecting themselves against phone scams. Residents can call the Louisville Office of the Attorney General on (502) 429-7134 to report the details of phone scams or file complaints online.
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office - The JCSO provides phone scam warnings to remind county residents about ongoing scams and how to avoid them. They also investigate incidents of phone scams within the county. Residents can file phone scam reports with the JSCO by calling (502) 574-5400.
Kentucky Public Service Commission - The PSC publishes scam alerts on its website to familiarize residents with current scams. Jefferson County residents can register their complaints online with the PSC or call (502) 564-3940 if they fall victim to phone scams.