479 Area Code Mystery: How to Identify Who is Behind the Call

Your phone is ringing (red flag number one) and it’s an unknown number (red flag number two) and, not only that, but you don’t recognize the area code (479?). Curious or cautious, here’s what to know about how to find out more about unknown calls and what a call from a 479 area code might mean for you.

Where is the 479 Area Code From?

The 479 area code belongs to northwestern Arkansas, including places like Bentonville, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Rogers, Siloam Springs, and Springdale.

Just remember, even though the area code indicates 479, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s where the call is originating. Always take care to check if you can determine who the caller is before answering.

How to Identify Calls from the 479 Area Code (Or Anywhere)

1. Use a Reverse Phone Lookup Website.

One of the quickest, easiest, and most accurate ways to find out who’s behind a 479 call is to use an online reverse phone lookup tool such as YellowPages.ca or Canada411.ca.

All you need to do is plug in the 479 number and the results will indicate if the number is linked to a real person, business, or even a known scammer.

2. Do a Google Search of the Number.

Almost second nature for most of us these days, a quick Google search of the incoming 479 number could reveal any (or all) of the answers you seek. Google results could show if it’s associated with: a legit business—potentially one you should be expecting to hear from; a person—a relative or friend, perhaps, or—unfortunately—a known spam or telemarketing scheme.

Fortunately, if you haven’t yet answered the call, in the case that any others have flagged the number after being schemed themselves, you’ll likely see it mentioned in forums or complaint sites or business sites like Better Business Bureau.

3. Check Your Voicemail.

Yeah, it’s annoying to receive voicemails for no reason but, if the caller with the 479 area code leaves you a voicemail, just take a moment to log into your inbox and listen.

Robocalls reveal themselves quickly as nonsensical messages that usually are cut off partially or include weird beeps and connecting noises. Similarly, scammers tend not to bother with detailed messages and might just hang up.

If someone actually does leave a full voicemail message, you might receive pertinent clues such as a company name or specific reason for the call, which will help you figure out if it’s legitimate (and if you should call them back).

What if it’s a Scam?

In the words of the iconic rockback Roxette, “listen to your heart.” If your heart (your gut, your intuition, whatever you want to call it) is telling you that the call might be too good to be true, or a scam, or even just an annoying telemarketing pitch, do not engage.

Instead, hang up, then block the number, and if it feels particularly threatening or predatory, you might even consider reporting it.

Protect Yourself with a Temporary Number

The good news is that it’s easy and affordable to get yourself a private, Hushed online number. If you want to skip the spam calls, keep your regular phone number private.

Hushed is the perfect alternative to set up a secondary number that you can use when you need to share your contact information and you’re unsure if it will be kept secure. (Think: store loyalty signups, online transitions, membership accounts, and more.)