Ah, scam calls. The gift that keeps on giving that absolutely nobody wants.

I get them. You get them. He, she, we get them. Those scam callers don't discriminate. As long as you have a phone number, they're gonna find a way to get you.

Now more than ever, it feels like those calls have increased. And it's not just calls either, scam texts have become an even bigger thing too.

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Canva / TSM illustration
Canva / TSM illustration
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I'm sure you've seen the text where you're promised to make $80 an hour doing some random job you've never heard of. Are people really falling for that? Boy, I hope not.

But back to the scam calls. I was getting the same one for over a month. A bunch of random numbers were calling me, saying they were looking for someone named Melissa and that they needed to get a call back as soon as possible.

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They would leave me voicemail after voicemail after voicemail. It was never-ending. The more I ignored their calls, the more they just continued calling back.

But I found out a solution that worked. Before I tell you it, make sure you're aware of these scam calls and to never answer them.

Ignore these calls, NJ! Area codes you should never pick up

While dodging scam calls can feel a bit like playing “Wack a mole” on the boardwalk, there are some area codes that are giant red flags, as collected by the Better Business Bureau and socialcatfish.com:

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

Now, back to how I handled those scammers looking for Melissa. I was on a walk a few weeks ago, listening to a podcast, and suddenly my phone rang. I saw the number was one of those strange area codes I had never seen, so I was sure this was another scammer. It annoyed me enough to where I decided to answer.

I picked up the phone, immediately blew a gasket at the person on the other end, told them to get my number off whatever call list they have it on, and hung up.

And to my surprise, I haven't been called back since. Sometimes, confrontation works wonders. And if you find yourself in a situation like I was in, it may work for you, too.

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Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kyle Clark. Any opinions expressed are his own.

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