253 Area Code — WA
Area code 253 serves WA in the Pacific time zone, in service since 1997. The FCC has 94 unwanted-call complaints against 91 different 253 numbers on record. Look up the exact number that called you below.
Most-reported 253 numbers
Ranked by FCC unwanted-call complaints. Click a number for its full report.
253 unwanted-call complaints, last 12 months
Monthly FCC complaint volume against 253 numbers. Spikes usually mark an active robocall campaign cycling through the code.
About area code 253
- Serves
- WA
- Time zone
- Pacific
- In service since
- 1997-04-27
- Overlay
- No
Source: NANPA numbering records, refreshed weekly.
Spam calls from 253? What to know
Seeing repeated missed calls from 253 numbers you don't recognize is the classic signature of neighbor-spoofing robocall campaigns. The caller isn't necessarily in WA — spoofing software displays whatever digits the campaign chooses. Never call unknown numbers back; look them up first, and report unwanted calls to the FCC to build the public record.
Area code 253 FAQs
Where is area code 253?
Area code 253 serves WA, in the Pacific time zone. It has been in service since 1997.
Why do I keep getting calls from 253 numbers?
Robocallers use "neighbor spoofing" — displaying a number with a local area code to make you more likely to answer. A call showing area code 253 may not originate from WA at all. Look up the full 10-digit number on this site to see its complaint history before calling back.
Are 253 numbers safe to call back?
Area codes themselves are neither safe nor unsafe — 253 contains millions of legitimate lines alongside any spoofed or spam numbers. The FCC has logged 94 unwanted-call complaints against 91 distinct 253 numbers in our current data window. Check the specific number's report page before returning a missed call.