310 Area Code — Los Angeles West, California
About the 310 Area Code
Area code 310 serves Los Angeles West, California, a major coastal metropolitan area known for high telecommunications density and early adoption of advanced calling services. All major national carriers—AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile USA—operate extensive networks here. Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Torrance are the main hubs, and the area code runs on Pacific time.
Key Information
- Region: Los Angeles West
- State / Province: California
- Timezone: Pacific
- Major Cities: Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Torrance
Area Code 310: West Los Angeles, California
Area Code Overview
Area code 310 was created in 1991 when the original 213 code — which had served all of Southern California since 1947 — split to accommodate the region's explosive population growth. The 310 split carved out the western and coastal communities of Los Angeles County, leaving 213 for downtown LA and establishing 310 as the identifier for one of the most recognizable geographic clusters in the world.
Today, 310 covers a stretch of the LA coast and Westside that includes Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Culver City, El Segundo, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and the city of Malibu. This is an area characterized by high median incomes, significant entertainment and tech industry presence, and a large international population — making it an attractive spoofing target for scammers.
As 310 exhausted its number supply, the overlay code 424 was introduced in 2006 and shares the same geographic footprint. A third code, 657 (via exchange sharing), also serves some western LA exchanges. The 310 code itself carries cultural recognition — it's associated with affluence, Hollywood adjacency, and the entertainment industry — which gives spoofed 310 texts a veneer of legitimacy.
Current Scam Patterns
If you received a text from a 310 number you don't recognize, these are the patterns most commonly reported:
IRS and Tax Enforcement Scams
An IRS arrest warrant robocall and its text equivalent — claiming the recipient owes back taxes and faces imminent criminal charges — is among the most heavily reported 310 scams. Scammers instruct recipients to call back immediately or risk arrest. The IRS does not contact taxpayers via text about tax debt or warrants.
Social Security Number Suspension
Texts claim your Social Security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity or involvement in criminal investigation. Recipients are told to press 1 or call back to "reactivate" their SSN — at which point they're asked for payment via wire transfer or gift card.
"Hello" Social Engineering Texts
A wave of generic conversational openers — "Hello," "Hey, how are you doing?" "Sup, been a while" — arrive from 310 numbers, often targeting older demographics who may assume the sender is a known contact. These are designed to get a response, establish rapport, and then pivot to a scam (investment opportunity, romance fraud, or gift card request).
Fake Debt Collection
310 numbers are used by scammers posing as collection agencies, legal offices, or process servers, threatening legal action over alleged debts. They may use a real-sounding law firm name and claim to be serving legal papers.
Celebrity and Entertainment Industry Scams
Given 310's association with the entertainment industry, some scammers use the area code to impersonate talent agents, casting directors, or entertainment companies — targeting aspiring actors or musicians.
Carrier Landscape
AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile USA all operate robust networks across the Westside and coastal LA communities. Given the affluent demographics of the 310 service area, smartphone penetration is extremely high, and the wireless subscriber base is correspondingly large.
The carrier composition for 310:
- Wireless: The dominant share — the Westside's demographics skew heavily toward smartphone-primary communication
- VoIP: Significant and growing, particularly for entertainment industry business lines, tech startups, and remote-work setups
- Traditional landline: Declining steadily; legacy 310 landlines are primarily held by established businesses and long-tenured residential accounts in older neighborhoods
If you receive a text from an unrecognized 310 number, it is almost certainly from a wireless or VoIP source. Landlines in this area code rarely generate texts to unknown recipients.
VoIP and Spoofing Risk
Risk Level: HIGH
The 310 area code's cultural cachet makes it a preferred spoofing target. A text from 310 reads as coming from the heart of the Los Angeles Westside — which implies wealth, influence, and potentially legitimate authority (especially for financial or entertainment-related pitches).
VoIP providers issue 310 numbers with minimal friction. Anyone can acquire a legitimate 310 VoIP number, and caller ID spoofing services can display any 310 number regardless of where the call or text actually originates.
Additional risk factors:
- The 310 overlay with 424 means recipients often can't determine from a number alone whether it's a legacy residential landline or a fresh VoIP assignment
- Entertainment and talent scams specifically exploit the "West LA prestige" of the 310 code
- International scam operations frequently spoof 310 to target high-income California residents
What To Do If You Receive a Text From a 310 Number
Step 1: Do not respond to generic conversational openers. If you receive a text from an unknown 310 number that simply says "Hello" or "How are you?" don't reply — it's likely the opening move of a social engineering scam.
Step 2: Look up the number. Use Who Sent That Text Message to search the 310 number for spam reports, known scam associations, and business registrations.
Step 3: Never engage with IRS or SSA texts. The IRS and Social Security Administration do not initiate contact via text message. Any text claiming government enforcement action is a scam.
Step 4: Verify claimed identities. If a 310 text claims to be from your bank, an entertainment company, or a law firm, look up that organization's official contact information independently and verify before responding.
Step 5: Report it. Forward spam texts to 7726 (SPAM). File reports with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the BBB Scam Tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is area code 310 a scam area code?
310 is the legitimate area code for West Los Angeles, covering Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Malibu, and the coastal South Bay. It is used by millions of California residents and thousands of businesses. However, the area code's prestigious associations make it a preferred spoofing target, and scammers frequently acquire or impersonate 310 numbers. Unknown texts from 310 deserve standard caution.
What cities does area code 310 cover?
Area code 310 covers the western and coastal portions of Los Angeles County, including Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Culver City, El Segundo, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Malibu. It shares this footprint with overlay code 424.
What is the difference between 310 and 424?
Both codes cover the same western LA geographic area. 310 is the original code, established in 1991, and is more associated with legacy residential and business accounts. 424 is the overlay, introduced in 2006, and is more commonly associated with newer wireless and VoIP assignments.
Why did I get a text from a 310 number saying "Hello"?
Generic greeting texts from unknown 310 numbers are a well-documented social engineering tactic. Scammers send broad "Hello" messages hoping someone responds, at which point they attempt to build rapport before pivoting to a cryptocurrency investment pitch, romance scam, or gift card request. If you don't recognize the number, don't reply.
Carriers & Network Type for 310 Numbers
Network mix: Mixed — 310 numbers include mobile, landline, and VoIP lines.
Common Scam Patterns
FCC complaint data for 310 numbers includes:
- Robocall/Auto-dialer
- Extended warranty scam
- Credit card services
- Spoofed caller ID
If You Got a Text from 310
Who Typically Calls from the 310 Area Code?
Area code 310 serves Los Angeles West, California, a major coastal metropolitan area known for high telecommunications density and early adoption of advanced calling services. All major national carriers—AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile USA—operate extensive networks here. Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Torrance are the main hubs, and the area code runs on Pacific time. Calls from 310 numbers originate in Los Angeles West, California. Residents, local businesses, schools, medical offices, and government agencies in this region all use 310 numbers. If you received an unexpected call or text from a 310 number, it may be a neighbor, a local service provider, or — in some cases — an unwanted solicitor.
Because 310 is a legitimate, widely used area code, scammers sometimes spoof it to make their calls appear local and trustworthy. This technique — called neighbor spoofing — makes it more likely that recipients will answer. A reverse phone lookup is the fastest way to find out whether a 310 number is genuinely local or spoofed.
Is a 310 Phone Number Spam?
Not all 310 calls are spam, but the area code is not immune to robocall campaigns and phone scams. Common complaints about 310 numbers include warranty extension scams, debt collection harassment, IRS impersonation calls, and unsolicited insurance offers.
If a 310 number called you and didn't leave a voicemail, that's a red flag — legitimate callers typically leave a message. Use Who Sent That Text Message to look up the number instantly and see whether other users have flagged it as spam.
You can also report a suspicious 310 number directly from our lookup results, helping protect others in the community from the same caller.
Look Up a 310 Number Now
Enter any 310 area code phone number below and get instant results — carrier, line type, caller name (where available), and spam reports submitted by real users.
Other Area Codes in California
California has multiple area codes serving different regions. If the number you received isn't from 310, check one of the other California area codes below.