Calcasieu Parish Reverse Phone Lookup

What are Calcasieu Parish Area Codes?

Area codes are the three digits at the beginning of American phone numbers. They were created by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) to help identify the precise origin of phone calls. The NANPA assigns different area codes to telephone territories based on Numbering Plan Areas (NPAs) and provides an area code lookup resource on its website. The Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) administers area codes in Louisiana. Only one area code currently serves Calcasieu Parish.

Area Code 337

Area Code 337 was created in 1999, and it serves the southwestern part of Louisiana. Cities and towns in Calcasieu Parish within the 337 NPA include Lake Charles, DeQuincy, Iowa, Sulphur, and Westlake.

What are the Best Cell Phone Plans in Calcasieu Parish?

Like most places in the United States, Calcasieu Parish is served by the four major phone carriers, all with varying network coverage in the parish. In Lake Charles, AT&T has a 96% network spread, closely followed by Verizon at 94%. Sprint and T-Mobile extend network coverage to 68% and 62% of the city, respectively. There are also smaller Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) offering affordable network services to the parish’s residents.  
 

An estimated 57.6% of Louisianan adults used only cell phones for telecommunication as contained in a 2018 National Center for Health Statistics Survey. This is a far cry from the 4.2% of them who still used landline phones exclusively. Similarly, a greater percentage (67.8%) of children below 18 years in the state had adopted wireless-only services, while only about 2.7% retained landline phones solely for telephony. This indicates that Louisianan residents, including Calcasieu residents, have a preference for wireless telephony services over landlines.
 

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) offers Calcasieu parish residents an alternative telephony services option. It transmits voice calls and text messages over IP networks, typically broadband internet connections. It is relatively cheaper and more flexible when compared to regular telephone services.

What are Calcasieu Parish Phone Scams?

Calcasieu Parish phone scams are fraudulent attacks launched at parish residents using telephone services. Typically, they aim to steal money or confidential data from targeted residents. It is common practice for scammers to assume different identities using phone spoofing, and they change their tricks frequently to suit specific circumstances. Parish residents can uncover scammers’ real identities using reverse phone lookup applications. Some public agencies that keep Calcasieu Parish residents abreast of phone scams by providing information on current phone scams include:
 

• Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office
• Louisiana Attorney General’s Office
• Louisiana Better Business Bureau (BBB)
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
   

Some common scams in Calcasieu Parish include:

What are Calcasieu Parish Advance Fee Scams?

Fraudsters call Calcasieu Parish residents and con them into paying up-front fees in expectation of something of higher value. The scammers, who often spoof their caller IDs, offer their targets enticing propositions such as investment opportunities, lottery winnings, loans, gifts, or contracts. However, to claim or benefit from such offers, they must pay some fees in advance. Unfortunately, after making payments, the targets are informed that they are unqualified. The truth is such offers never existed in the first place. Perpetrators of this scam frequently choose payment methods such as gift cards and wire transfers. Transactions made via these channels are usually untraceable and hard to recover. Parish residents should be wary of opportunities that seem too attractive and conduct their independent research before committing themselves. Also, they should never agree on business deals without first seeing and reviewing the business agreement documents. Any parish resident who has been targeted by advance fee scammers can file an online complaint with the FTC. They can also uncover the identities of persons behind shady calls using applications that offer suspicious phone number lookup services.

What are Calcasieu Parish COVID-19 Stimulus Checks Scams?

These scams are master-minded by fraudsters who claim to be government employees responsible for disbursing coronavirus stimulus funds. The scammers call Calcasieu Parish residents, asking to verify their personal or bank account information to process their stimulus checks. Alternatively, they may demand processing fees from their targets to expedite the payment process. These fraudsters usually spoof their Caller IDs to make them appear legitimate. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office warns residents to beware that the federal government will never request fees to process COVID-19 stimulus payments. Also, no government official will request residents’ confidential information over the phone. Parish residents should never send money or divulge sensitive information to unknown callers. If you get such calls, hang up without hesitation and report to the Sheriff’s Office. You can use free reverse phone lookup services to identify the actual caller.

What are Calcasieu Parish Arrest Warrant Scams?

Scammers pose as law enforcement officers call Calcasieu Parish residents and inform them that warrants have been issued for their arrest. These fraudsters spoof their targets’ caller identifications while impersonating the Parish Sheriff’s Office. These scams are characterized by hostility as the scammers attempt to intimidate their targets into complying with their demands. They warn that their victims can only avoid arrest if they pay mandatory fines in full and immediately. They favor payment by gift cards and wire transfers. The Sheriff’s Office advises residents to endeavor to confirm claims of this nature by calling the Sheriff’s Office on their official phone numbers. If an arrest warrant is issued, the subject will not likely be pre-informed before the actual arrest happens. If targeted by this scam, you can report such an attempt to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. You can also use reverse cell phone lookup applications to find out who called.

What are Calcasieu Parish Recovery Scams?

Perpetrators of recovery scams aim to further extort victims of previous phone scams in Calcasieu Parish. These scammers approach their victims posing as consumer advocates or government officials trying to help them recover their losses. Usually syndicates of previous investment scams, the fraudsters mark their victims for follow-up scams. They pretend to empathize with them to gain their trust. During their interactions, these scammers glean other confidential information and demand up-front payment for their services. Typically, unsuspecting victims lose more money in the process, and nothing is ever recovered as promised. Do not feel ashamed if you are a recovery scam victim. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office encourages residents to report such scams to enable them to investigate and possibly prosecute the perpetrators. The agency urges residents never to indulge unknown callers who request a fee for recovery of losses from past scam schemes.

What are Robocalls and Spam Calls?

Robocalls are phone calls that deliver voice recordings to mass phone numbers. They are commonly used for telemarketing and political campaign purposes. Their low cost, ability to relay information in bulk and ease of manipulating caller IDs make them a preferred means of mass communication. For these same reasons, scammers have adopted robocalls in their scam schemes. They often spoof robocalls to fool their targets into responding to their calls. However, Calcasieu Parish residents can identify spoofed robocalls using phone number search applications. Robocalls are often used to deliver spam messages to large numbers of recipients. They are a variant of spam calls and are sometimes used to place calls randomly to determine active phone numbers and mark them for future scams.
 

If you get overwhelmed by unsolicited robocalls, you can take the following actions:
 

• Hang up immediately you discover you have answered a robocall. Do not respond to the robocall’s prompts.
   
• File an online complaint with the FTC or call (888) 382-1222 to report robocall abuse. 
   
• Enroll in Louisiana Do Not Call Program by calling (toll-free) 1 (877) 676-0773. Also, you can register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry to be exempt from unwanted telemarketing calls.
   
• Use phone number lookup applications to identify robocall numbers and block them with call-blocking applications.

How Can You Spot and Report Calcasieu Parish Phone Scams?

Phone scams in Calcasieu Parish are perpetrated by highly skilled criminals who have progressively adopted more sophisticated tricks in their scam schemes. Residents must therefore be attentive when answering calls from unfamiliar phone numbers to spot phone scams. Phone number search applications are efficient for identifying potential scams. Signs that a call is a phone scam include:
 

• The caller offers you investment opportunities but tries to avoid inquiries about their propositions and tends to discourage you from doing independent research.
   
• A caller uses confrontation in an attempt to get you to succumb to their demands, especially for confidential information. Aggressive behavior is uncharacteristic of legitimate organizations.
   
• An unverified caller who offers business opportunities with limited time frames. They often pressure unsuspecting targets into making hasty decisions without proper consideration. 
   
• An unfamiliar caller who demands payment through a specific means. Scammers usually prefer odd and untraceable payment methods such as prepaid debit cards and wire transfers.

Different public agencies in Calcasieu Parish are responsible for protecting residents from phone scams. These agencies also receive and investigate phone scam reports filed by residents. They include:
 

• Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office: Calcasieu Parish residents who are victims of phone scams can report to the Parish Sheriff’s Office by calling 1 (337) 491-3605.
   
• Louisiana Attorney General’s Office: Parish residents can file phone scam reports with the Consumer Protection Section of the Attorney General’s office by calling (225) 326-6465 or 1 (800) 351-4889.
   
• Louisiana Better Business Bureau (BBB): The state’s BBB receives reports about fraudulent enterprises from consumers. Parish residents extorted by businesses can file reports with the BBB by calling (337) 478-6253.
   
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Calcasieu Parish residents can report phone scams to the FTC online or call 1 (888) 382-1222. Parish residents can also enroll their phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce the frequency of incoming unsolicited telemarketing calls. The FTC encourages residents to report unwanted calls they get post-DNC registry enrollment.
   
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC): Calcasieu residents who are victims of phone scams can file online complaints with the FCC. They can also educate themselves with online resources on blocking illegal and unwanted calls provided by the FCC. 
   
• Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC): Calcasieu Parish residents can enroll their phone numbers in the Louisiana Do Not Call Program to opt-out of receiving undesired phone calls from telemarketers. To register, interested residents should call 1 (877) 676-0773 from the phone numbers they intend to enroll. Any resident who gets an unsolicited call after registering in the state’s DNC list can report to the LPSC by mailing a completed Consumer Complaint Form to:
   

Louisiana Public Service Commission

Do Not Call Program

P.O. Box 91154

Baton Rouge, LA, 70821-9154.