Scam Calls from Area Code 201

Area code 201, rooted in northeastern New Jersey and covering communities including Bayonne, Clifton, and Union, has generated 3,483 complaints across 1,114 distinct numbers since February 2026, with activity recorded as recently as June 2026. That volume places it 23rd out of 358 area codes tracked overall, and 3rd among the 44 New Jersey codes specifically — a sibling rank that signals 201 is punching well above the state average for complaint density.

Medical and prescriptions scams account for the single largest complaint category at 805, followed by energy, solar, and utilities at 415. Impersonation calls — those pretending to be government agencies, businesses, or family members — contributed 286 complaints, and home security and alarm pitches added another 271. The spread across four substantial categories indicates this is not a single-campaign code but a broad-use trunk for multiple concurrent operations.

The top individual number, 201-267-1193, drew 65 complaints and falls squarely in the impersonation category. Several numbers cluster around two apparent dialing blocks: the 201-502-49xx sequence (201-502-4909 at 52 complaints, 201-502-4939 at 45, and 201-502-4969 at 40) and the 201-534-58xx sequence (201-534-5824 at 63 complaints and 201-534-5822 at 41). The 201-534-58xx pair collectively accounts for 104 complaints with no category assigned, suggesting a campaign type that has not yet been consistently labeled by recipients. 201-979-3879 produced 39 complaints tied to dropped calls or silent connections, a pattern often associated with live-agent dialing systems probing for answered lines.

FCC records show 8 formal filings with 85 complaints describing live-agent calls and 77 describing prerecorded messages, meaning both delivery methods are actively in use. Complaints originate primarily from New Jersey but extend to California and Pennsylvania, with specific reports tied to El Granada, California, and Uniontown, Pennsylvania — geography that stretches well beyond 201's native footprint and points to spoofing rather than any genuine local origin.

The combination of a high sibling rank, active number clustering in sequential blocks, and parallel medical and energy campaigns running simultaneously makes 201 one of the more operationally dense codes currently active in New Jersey. The uncategorized numbers in the 502 and 534 exchange clusters, generating nearly 200 combined complaints, represent the least-understood segment of this code's activity and are likely the area of fastest growth.