649, TCI Area Code used in SCAMS says US Authorities

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, March 6, 2023 – Americans are being told not to answer telephone calls with the area code 649 unless they know someone in the Turks and Caicos, because it is now among the top country calling codes caught up in any number of scams. 

Shockingly, a Fox News Report details the findings made public by Social Catfish including how crooks are scamming people out of their hard earned money. AsktheMoneyCoach is also sharing what the FCC says is an elaborate con.

It lists 649 or the Turks and Caicos Islands’ area code as one scammers are using, frequently.  The February 28 feature on Fox news  cited area codes associated with Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, the British Virgin Islands, and the Turks and Caicos as risky to answer from for various reasons:

•  Jamaica (876) ‘often used in lottery scams and work-from-home fraud schemes’
• Antigua and Barbuda (268) ‘often used by crooks in scam operations.’
• Grenada (473) Turks and Caicos Islands (649) and British Virgin Islands (284) ‘known to be used by scammers for various kinds of fraud.’

They say the list was compiled by ‘Social Catfish’, which is an online dating investigation service based out of California but the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is warning landline and wireless consumers about scammers from these area codes as well.