Area code 681 covers Charleston and surrounding communities in West Virginia.
Updated 8 October 2026
Area code 681 is in West Virginia, shown here with Charleston marked.
Now in Charleston
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Typical business hours, 9 to 5 Monday to Friday.
Typical business hours, 9 to 5 Monday to Friday, shown as the blue arc. A guide to when a real Charleston office is likely to answer. It says nothing about who called you.
Source: North American Numbering Plan Administrator, retrieved 8 October 2026.
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Is area code 681 a scam?
No. Area code 681 is a legitimate area code serving Charleston since 2009. Scammers spoof caller ID to display 681 numbers, which is why complaints exist against a code that is itself genuine.
Neighbour spoofing is the reason a local-looking number is not a guarantee. A caller anywhere in the world can display a 681 number, and the number they display may belong to a real business in Charleston that has nothing to do with the call.
The callerAnywhere in the worldSets the caller ID their equipment sends.
What is displayed(681) 336-8856May belong to a real Charleston business.
Your phoneLooks localA nearby code and prefix make you likelier to answer.
271Area code 681 had 271 different numbers reported for spam calls in the 30 days to 8 October 2026.
268thArea code 681 ranks 268th of 331 US geographic area codes by spam complaint volume.
75%Of the 280 complaints about area code 681 in the 30 days to 8 October 2026, 75% were reported as a recorded message or robocall.
38%The most reported subject on area code 681 is reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans), appearing in 38% of its complaints in the 30 days to 8 October 2026.
Why am I getting text messages from area code 681?
Texts from 681 numbers follow the same pattern as calls — mostly local businesses and services. Treat any text asking for payment or credentials as suspect regardless of the code.
The common patterns are a wrong-number opener that turns into conversation, an unsolicited job offer, and a crypto or investment tip. Do not reply, do not follow the link, and forward the message to 7726 (SPAM) to report it to your carrier.
Pattern 1Wrong-number openerTurns into conversation.
Pattern 2Unsolicited job offerDo not reply, do not follow the link.
Pattern 3Crypto or investment tipTreat any payment ask as suspect.
Report it7726Forward the message. It spells SPAM on a keypad.
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Area codes that overlay 681
Area code 681 shares its geographic footprint with one other code: 304. Overlays are laid over an existing area rather than splitting it, so all local calls require the full ten-digit number.
Area code 681 was added in 2009 as an overlay on 304, and together the two codes cover all of West Virginia. Charleston, the state capital, is the commercial center of the southern half. State government is the dominant employer there, followed by healthcare through the CAMC Health System. The chemical industry that once earned the Kanawha Valley the name "Chemical Valley" still operates plants along the river, and coal, though far smaller than it was, remains part of the regional economy through mining services and rail.
Who lives in the 681 region
Charleston counted 47,421 residents in 2024, with a median household income of $65,812 and a median age of 43, per DataUSA. The city is older and smaller than it was at mid-century, and 98% of residents are U.S. citizens. No meaningful share of the population speaks a language other than English at home, so multilingual outreach is rarely a factor in this market.
What a 681 number signals to a caller
Because 681 overlays the original 304, callers describe the older code as carrying more recognition, and some longstanding businesses hold onto 304 numbers for that reason. Ten-digit dialing applies statewide. Business in Charleston, West Virginia runs on proximity to the capitol and on personal reputation. Out-of-area callers should expect courtesy, but decisions often wait until someone local has vouched for the caller.
Area code 681 serves Charleston and surrounding communities in West Virginia. It is in the Eastern Time zone.
What state is area code 681 in?
Area code 681 is in West Virginia. It is not in Charleston, SC or Charleston, SC or Belleville — those are area codes 843 and 854 and 618.
Is area code 681 toll free?
No. Area code 681 is a geographic area code serving Charleston, West Virginia. The toll-free codes are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888, and a call to a 681 number is charged at your normal rate.
Why am I getting calls from 681?
Calls displaying a 681 number come from businesses and individuals in the Charleston area, and from anywhere at all when caller ID is spoofed to look local. 271 681 numbers were reported to the FTC in the 30 days to 8 October 2026.
How do I block calls from area code 681?
Both iOS and Android can silence calls from unknown numbers, and every major US carrier offers free call-blocking. Blocking the whole of area code 681 is rarely worth it, because spoofed numbers change constantly and you would lose legitimate calls from Charleston.
843 (Charleston, SC) and 854 (Charleston, SC) serve a city of the same name in another state. Area code 681 is easily mistyped as 618 (Belleville). Tap one to see which digits move.