What Is a Houston County Reverse Phone Lookup?
Several online services do a telephone number lookup. Interested individuals can use these services to address questions like "who called me?" or "who owns this number?" While there are free reverse phone search sites, the information supplied by these services is dull in comparison to paid reports.
Both types of reverse phone search will definitely provide fundamental details like the caller's name, basic address, and phone type. Paid reverse phone search services are usually much more detailed in the information readily available on their database. In addition to the previously mentioned standard details, searchers can even see the unknown caller's public records and social media profiles.
What You Can Do With Reverse Phone Search
A reverse phone search searches the Texas phonebook for information on the registered owner of a phone number. While there are many uses for this search, the most helpful use is for identifying unknown callers.
Residents can use this tool to spot scam callers before they've had the chance to steal money or sensitive, personal information.
There are also other use cases, like reconnecting with lost contacts and using it when you forget the name of someone who gave you their number.
What Are Houston County Area Codes?
Houston County area codes are the special 3 numbers that begin every contact number belonging to individuals in a city. A typical Houston County telephone number starts with 936, the area code designated to the county by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA).
NANPA introduced area codes to streamline long-distance calls. Today, all North American telephone numbers have area codes. These digits differentiate communities into Numbering Plan Areas, or NPAs, for the purpose of making telephone calls.
Although the NANPA allocates area codes in North America, the Public Utility Commission of Texas monitors the assignment of area codes to towns in Texas. There is presently 1 area code that covers Houston County.
Area Code 936
Calls from phone numbers that begin with 936 most likely originated from somebody in Houston County is just one of a number of counties under the 936 NPA. It is most likely that a number beginning with 936 may even belong to an individual in a nearby town under the specific very same NPA.
What Are the Best Cell Phone Providers in Houston County?
The best cellular phone plan to select in Houston County depends on your location and the service provider’s coverage. Telephone service is typically much better in the cities and bay areas than in the hillsides and the non-urban areas. The 3 major telephone networks in Houston County are AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile.
Telephone operators in Houston County have varying phone coverage levels. AT&T provides the absolute best phone coverage, followed by Verizon Wireless. T-Mobile reportedly has the least range, but it is not far from the others.
These operators also lease out their systems to a number of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). In turn, MVNOs utilize the infrastructure to supply less expensive cellular phone plans in Houston County.
VoIP Phone Service in Houston County
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) is a service that lets users make inexpensive, fast calls over the internet instead of standard lines or radio waves.
The service works like a usual line, you still get assigned a mobile number and you can call other telephone numbers, even if they are not on VOIP. These unique particular make VOIP calls much faster, clearer, safe, and cheaper than traditional services.
What Are Houston County Phone Scams?
A phone scam is when a person uses false pretenses to steal money or important personal information like social security numbers or bank account details over the phone.
In Houston County, phone scams commonly occur when a person receives an unwanted telephone call. The nameless caller employs numerous tactics to encourage, trick, or terrify an individual into sending out money or divulging personal details about themselves.
Phone scams can be targeted when the scammer has some information concerning the unwary victim. With robocalls, fraudsters can reach a lot of people at the very same time without even knowing anything about them.
What Are Houston County Robocalls and Spam Calls?
Robocalls are automated calls from tools made to get to numerous individuals at the same time and inexpensively.
Political organizers and telemarketers attempting to get to a mass consumer base were the normal prospects of robocalls. These entities typically work off a phone list to get votes or market an item to several individuals at the same time.
Similarly, phone scammers seek to reach many people. However, they do not always have access to the phone lists that political advocates and telemarketers have. So, they buy stolen phone lists or use software to make up random numbers.
How to Spot Houston County Phone Scams
Modern smartphones have scam call detectors that can cross-check inbound phone calls with a database of identified scam callers and immediately avoid the call from going through.
Despite their usefulness, these detectors are less efficient against spoofed caller IDs or when the unknown caller is a human impostor. In this circumstance, you'll need to keep an eye out for usual signs of a phone scam.
Signs of a Phone Scam
For one, watch out for a caller claiming to be a government official or an organization's staff. Most public agencies and private businesses prefer to reach people by mail or email. They usually call as a last resort.
Furthermore, a scam caller is more likely to request money or specific details like your full name, social security number, banking details, and account passwords. A legitimate agent of a government agency or company does not require these details to assist you.
Above all, watch out for threats of arrests, prosecution, or unsavory penalties. These are scare tactics scammers use to put potential victims under pressure and force them to make hasty decisions.
How to Report Houston County Phone Scams
Scam phone calls breach United States laws. If you have been defrauded or had your money stolen in a phone scam in Houston County, report the incident to law enforcement as soon as you can.
The information you provide can help law enforcement trace the scammer, build a case against them, and prosecute them. More importantly, your report increases the odds of recovering the stolen money.
Public agencies that help Houston County residents deal with phone scams include:
Houston County Sheriff’s Office
The Houston County Sheriff's Office is the county's main law enforcement agency. Residents should submit reports of phone scams to the Sheriff's Office by calling (936) 544-2862. Alternatively, you may visit the agency’s office during business hours at this address:
700 South 4th Street
Suite A
Crockett, TX 75835
Phone: (936) 544-2862
Texas Attorney-General’s Office
The Texas Attorney-General’s Office uses legal and administrative measures to ensure consumer protection in Texas. Furthermore, the Office maintains useful resources on spotting and avoiding common phone scams in Texas. Persons affected by phone scams may file an online complaint with the Attorney-General's Office. Alternatively, call the Consumer Protection hotline at (800) 621-0508.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The FTC is the government agency charged with consumer protection. The FTC established the National Do Not Call Registry to secure people from unwanted calls from telemarketers and businesses.
Including your number on this registry prohibits telemarketers from reaching you in the first place. For additional information on call-blocking and avoiding scams, visit the FTC resource page. Concerned persons may also report scams and robocalls to the FTC by calling 1 (888) 382-1222.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
The FCC controls interstate and international communications in the U.S. and safeguards consumers from prohibited or scam calls. Tips on preventing unwanted robocalls as well as phone scams are available on the FCC website. Furthermore, victims of robocalls and phone scams can submit complaints to the FCC online.