Area code 862 — Newark, New Jersey

Where is area code 862?

Area code 862 is in Newark, New Jersey, covering Newark and surrounding communities in New Jersey. All 862 numbers are on Eastern Time.

Is area code 862 a scam?

No. Area code 862 is a legitimate area code serving Newark since 2001. Scammers spoof caller ID to display 862 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 862 number, and the number they display may belong to a real business in Newark that has nothing to do with the call.

• ·Area code 862 had 316 different numbers reported for spam calls in the 30 days to 28 July 2026.
• ·Area code 862 ranks 219th of 331 US geographic area codes by spam complaint volume.
• ·Of the 349 complaints about area code 862 in the 30 days to 28 July 2026, 74% were reported as a recorded message or robocall.
• ·The most reported subject on area code 862 is reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans), appearing in 23% of its complaints in the 30 days to 28 July 2026.

What these calls were about

Each figure is that subject’s share of every 862 complaint in the 30 days to 28 July 2026, as categorised by the consumer who reported it.

Businesses can prevent their own numbers from being mistaken for calls like these.

Why am I getting text messages from area code 862?

Texts from 862 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.

Area codes that overlay 862

Area code 862 shares its geographic footprint with one other code: 973. Overlays are laid over an existing area rather than splitting it, so all local calls require the full ten-digit number.

Who works in the Newark area?

Area code 862 has overlaid 973 in northern New Jersey since 2001, and Newark is the biggest city it reaches. Newark's economy runs on movement and money: Port Newark-Elizabeth is the primary container terminal of the busiest seaport on the East Coast, Newark Liberty International Airport is one of the nation's busiest, and the corporate roster includes Prudential Financial, PSEG, Panasonic's North American arm, and Audible, all headquartered in the city. Rutgers-Newark, NJIT, and University Hospital add education and medicine to the mix.

Who lives in the 862 region

The city's roughly 310,200 residents reported a median household income of $52,060 in 2024, with a poverty rate of 23.4 percent, per DataUSA. About 36 percent of residents were born outside the United States, and Newark's wards divide along Portuguese, Brazilian, Spanish-speaking, and African American communities. A business that answers in Spanish or Portuguese reaches customers a monolingual operation misses.

What an 862 number signals to a caller

The 973 code has covered this territory since 1997 and remains the number older Newark institutions carry. An 862 number rings to the same streets and reads as the newer assignment. Callers describe business phone culture here as fast and practical, shaped by the logistics and finance sectors that keep uneven hours. An outside caller should know that area code 862 is fully local to Newark, New Jersey, and that the metro's pace tracks New York City, ten miles east.

Questions