Area code 224
Area code 224 serves Illinois, including Northbrook, Arlington Heights and Des Plaines (Central time). It has been in service since January 5, 2002 and shares its area with 847.
Numbers starting with 224 drew 1,495 reports to the FTC from Aug 14, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026 and 576 complaints to the FCC since November 2023. The number on your screen can be faked, so a 224 number proves nothing about where a call came from.
- Location
- IllinoisChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area
- Time zone
- Central
- In service since
- January 5, 2002Created from 847
- Overlay
- Same area as 847
- Local calls
- Dial 1 + 10 digits
- Exchanges in use
- 595 of 792held by 28 carriers
- Projected to run out
- 1Q 2034NANPA forecast 2026.2
Complaints about 224 numbers
FTC reports, Aug 14, 2026 to Nov 11, 2026
1,495
FCC complaints since November 2023
576
Different 224 numbers reported
1,890
FCC complaints naming a 224 number, by month
November 2023 to October 2026. Source: FCC Consumer Complaints Data.
Show as a table
| Month | Complaints |
|---|---|
| November 2023 | 39 |
| December 2023 | 14 |
| January 2024 | 23 |
| February 2024 | 20 |
| March 2024 | 5 |
| April 2024 | 9 |
| May 2024 | 16 |
| June 2024 | 12 |
| July 2024 | 8 |
| August 2024 | 13 |
| September 2024 | 15 |
| October 2024 | 15 |
| November 2024 | 17 |
| December 2024 | 7 |
| January 2025 | 15 |
| February 2025 | 11 |
| March 2025 | 8 |
| April 2025 | 11 |
| May 2025 | 22 |
| June 2025 | 24 |
| July 2025 | 17 |
| August 2025 | 9 |
| September 2025 | 9 |
| October 2025 | 1 |
| November 2025 | 3 |
| December 2025 | 12 |
| January 2026 | 7 |
| February 2026 | 3 |
| March 2026 | 19 |
| April 2026 | 43 |
| May 2026 | 26 |
| June 2026 | 21 |
| July 2026 | 19 |
| August 2026 | 15 |
| September 2026 | 18 |
| October 2026 | 30 |
What people said 224 calls were about
Subjects picked in FTC reports, August 14, 2026 to November 11, 2026. 938 of 1,495 reports were robocalls.
Show as a table
| Subject | Reports |
|---|---|
| Other | 675 |
| Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans) | 313 |
| Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends | 152 |
| Dropped call or no message | 125 |
| Medical and prescriptions | 40 |
| Home improvement and cleaning | 24 |
Most reported 224 numbers
Numbers with at least five reports from three or more places in the last twelve months. Many of them are likely spoofed.
Places served by 224
- Northbrook72
- Arlington Heights70
- Des Plaines48
- Elgin44
- Waukegan38
- Algonquin37
- Deerfield20
- Barrington19
- Elk Grove18
- Wheeling15
- Glenview14
- Skokie13
- Libertyville12
- Round Lake12
- Lake Forest11
- Palatine11
- Roselle11
- Evanston10
- Mundelein10
- Half Day8
- Zion8
- Antioch7
- Dundee7
- Fox Lake7
Show all 41 rate centers
Huntley, Lake Villa, Lake Zurich, Cary, Grayslake, Highland Park, Winnetka, Bartlett, Franklin Park, Hampshire, Park Ridge, Wilmette, Bensenville, Glencoe, Plato Center, Wauconda, Pistakee Highlands.
Phone companies holding 224 exchanges
Exchanges held, top 8 of 28 carriers
NANPA central office code assignments, file of November 11, 2026.
Show as a table
| Carrier (legal name) | Exchanges |
|---|---|
| T-Mobile USA, Inc. | 138 |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC - IL | 93 |
| Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless - IL | 76 |
| Onvoy, LLC | 67 |
| Illinois Bell Tel CO | 34 |
| Fractel, LLC | 29 |
| Level 3 Communications, LLC - IL | 19 |
| Teleport Communications America, LLC - IL | 19 |
When today's 224 exchanges were assigned
Exchanges still assigned, by year of assignment. Exchanges returned since are not counted.
Show as a table
| Year | Exchanges |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 37 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2004 | 11 |
| 2005 | 28 |
| 2006 | 35 |
| 2007 | 16 |
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2009 | 14 |
| 2010 | 12 |
| 2011 | 25 |
| 2012 | 16 |
| 2013 | 36 |
| 2014 | 37 |
| 2015 | 23 |
| 2016 | 28 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 15 |
| 2020 | 27 |
| 2021 | 44 |
| 2022 | 28 |
| 2023 | 21 |
| 2024 | 42 |
| 2025 | 18 |
| 2026 | 13 |
Check a 224 number
A check shows the carrier and rate center of the number's exchange and every FTC and FCC report about that exact number. Why the number on screen can be fake.
Other area codes in Illinois
NANPA area code database and central office code file of November 11, 2026; FCC complaints November 1, 2023 to November 11, 2026; FTC reports August 14, 2026 to November 11, 2026. How the data is used.
Official sources (7)ShowHide
- NPA Reports (NPA database, area code definitions, exhaust projections), North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) (NPA database file dated 11/11/2026; exhaust forecast 2026-2). Checked November 11, 2026.
- Central Office Code Assignment Records (all states, utilized codes), North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) (File updated 11/11/2026). Checked November 11, 2026.
- Thousands-Block Reports: NPA rate center report, all states, North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). Checked November 11, 2026.
- CO Codes/Thousands-Blocks, North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). Checked November 11, 2026.
- CGB - Consumer Complaints Data, Federal Communications Commission (Updated daily; licence: Public Domain U.S. Government). Checked November 11, 2026.
- Do Not Call (DNC) Reported Calls Data, Federal Trade Commission (Updated each weekday). Checked November 11, 2026.
- Caller ID Spoofing, Federal Communications Commission (Last updated November 13, 2024). Checked November 11, 2026.