Scammers are always inventing new scams to trick you.  Long gone are the days of Nigerian Princes sending you emails trying to convince you that they want to give you millions. Now the scammers just call you out of the blue.

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Anymore it seems that if I get a phone call from a number I don't recognize or have entered into my contacts list, it's a scam.  It could be anything from the "IRS" trying to contact me, to someone wanting to talk about the extended warranty on my car.

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Most people just don't answer calls anymore if it's from a unknown number, but there are plenty of people who do or scammers wouldn't keep trying. For every 1,000 people they call, if 1 person gets scammed it's worth it in the end.

According to this Social Catfish article there are 5 area codes residents of Montana should avoid at all costs.

  • 268 Area Code

    This area code is associated with Antigua and Barbuda.

  • 876 Area Code

    This area code is associated with Jamaica.

  • 473 Area Code

    This area code is associated with Grenada and Carriacou.

  • 649 Area Code

    This area code is associated with the Turks and Caicos Islands.

  • 284 Area Code

    This area code is associated with the British Virgin Islands.

Crazy thing is the scammers probably aren't even calling from these area codes, as they utilize something called "spoofing." It basically lets them alter the caller ID to one that seems more legit. It's a shame those caller IDs don't come up like this.

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What should you do if you see a call from one of these area codes? Once again according to Social Catfish:

You can add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry, which is managed by the FTC. This registry is designed to help reduce unwanted telemarketing calls. You can also install call-blocking software on your phone or contact your phone carrier to see if they offer this service. These tools can help you block unwanted calls from scammers.

-Social Catfish

While nothing is 100% fail proof, you can protect yourself by staying vigilant. If you want to know more on how to protect yourself from scams, check out this article by Social Catfish.

LOOK: The biggest scams today and how you can protect yourself from them

Using data from the BBB Scam Tracker Annual Risk Report, Stacker identified the most common and costly types of scams in 2022.

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