Complete Guide to Area Code 402: Everything You Should Know

Have you recently been getting calls from the 402 area code and had no idea where that phone call was coming from? Well starting now, you’re going to be well-informed about the area code that covers the Eastern half of Nebraska.

Whatever the situation might be, Intelius can help you do the research and find the facts about businesses, lost connections, and spam calls originating from the state of Nebraska.

We’ll go over the history of the 402 area code, time zone, how to block spam calls, how to spot (and report) scams, and finally, how to figure out who exactly is calling you from that 402 area code. 

402 area code overview: key facts

Fun fact: Did you know, Nebraska’s overlay was split in 1954 – the 402 / 531 area codes cover the Eastern half and 308 area code takes the Western portion of the state? 

Related Read: What area code is 302?

What area code is 402?

The area code 402 covers the northern and eastern halves of Nebraska, including four notable counties: Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy, and Dodge. It was first established in 1947, by the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), is one of the country's first 86 area codes, and served the entire state until 2021. 

Since the Eastern region of Nebraska consists of a little over 1.6 million people, there are lots of phone numbers currently in-use.

It’s worth noting there aren’t that many business phone numbers available, since Nebraska is home to several Fortune 500 companies, such as TD Bank and Berkshire Hathaway (owned by the “Oracle of Omaha”, more commonly known as the businessperson, Warren Buffet). 

Farming, especially corn and cow production, are leading factors of Nebraska’s economy. In fact, there are three cows for every human in the state! 

In total, Nebraska is served by three area codes: 402/531 in the East and 308 in the West.

Unlike the 302 area code being exclusive for all of Delaware, the 402 area code in Nebraska shares an overlay with area code 531 in the Eastern region of the state. 

The overlay was introduced in July 2009 and put into service in March 2011 to relieve the high number of number reservations on the original 402 area code. 

Cities in the 402 area code

The 402 area code serves nearly half the state of Nebraska, while also representing several popular cities and towns within the state. Below are some of the most popular communities in the state of Nebraska. 

Well-known communities in Nebraska

• Omaha - Most populous city in Nebraska at ~500,000 residents.
• Lincoln - The capital city of Nebraska with rich art and environmental landmarks.
• Bellevue - Third most popular city in Nebraska, with ~65K residents (behind Omaha and Lincoln).
• Fremont  - Home of Midland University and an original site of early transcontinental transport.
• Hastings - Known as the birthplace of the Kool-Aid beverage.
• Norfolk - Known for its AquaVenture water theme park.
• South Sioux City - Family-oriented town located across the Missouri River. 

Well-known landmarks in Nebraska

• Nebraska State Capitol
• Chimney Rock National Historic Site
• Scotts Bluff National Monument
• Carhenge
• Sheldon Museum of Art
• Fort Robinson State Park

Zip codes serviced by area code 402

There are approximately 316 total zip codes represented by the 402 area code. Below, here are some of the most popular zip codes, within the area code 402. 

• 68516 Lincoln
• 68104 Omaha
• 68046 Papillion
• 68123 Bellevue
• 68701 Norfolk
• 68025 Fremont

Neighboring area codes

Area code 402: Time zone & business tips

If you’re reaching out to Nebraska residents and are in another time zone, it’s important to know what their business operation hours are and how it coincides with your own. Eastern Nebraska aligns with the Central Time Zone and Western Nebraska is part of the Mountain Time Zone.

For example, what if you’re in California and are trying to make a call to either of Nebraska’s time zones (CDT/CT and MDT/MD) during business hours? It would be best to call between 8am to 3PM Pacific Time.  

Fun fact: Eastern Nebraska is in the Central Time Zone while the Western region is within the Mountain Time Zone. 

Keep in mind, Mountain Time is 1 hour behind Central Time and 1 hour ahead of Pacific Time.

Nebraska is only one of twelve U.S. states that span multiple time zones. The 12 states are: Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, and South Dakota.

The history & evolution of area code 402

It all started in 1947, with the conception of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) and the assignment of the first 86 area codes in North America.

The introduction of an easy-to-understand number system for telecommunications across the entire United States, Canada, and the Caribbean changed the lives of North Americans looking to connect with each other. 

Nebraska was first assigned the 402 area code for the entire state. As the state’s population grew, the number of available 402 phone numbers decreased rapidly,  leading the NANP to introduce an overlay in the form of area code 531. This overlay was introduced in March 2011.

Both the 402 / 531 area codes are projected to have enough numbers available for assignment until Q4 2044, according to the Nebraska Public Service Commission’s 2024 report (PDF, page 197).

Why a 402 number still turns heads

While the 531 overlay code has more reservations available, the 402 code is still seen as Nebraska's "original" number. Long-time residents, businesses, and institutions still have their 402 numbers, which makes them more recognizable and often, more desirable than the new 531 numbers.

How to get a 402 phone number

If you’re thinking about getting your own 402 area code, there are a number of ways to make that possible. 

1. First, you could request a number via a mobile carrier or landline service. Some examples include Verizon®, AT&T®, or T-Mobile®. 
2. Second, you could also get a randomly generated 402 number from a reputable VOIP (voice-over internet protocol) service provider. Google® Fi, Grasshopper, or RingCentral are some of the leading providers.
3. Lastly, you could shop for a number from a virtual number marketplace, like NumberBarn. 

Each option is suited for different users and what their needs are. Private users may be looking for a straightforward, low-cost solution from a VoIP service provider.

If you’re a business owner, then you might request a number that you feel is most appropriate for your customers, such as numbers with repeating digits that are easier to remember. 

Spotting and blocking 402 scams

Virtually every area code in the United States has unique scams that are attempted on uninformed residents. If you don’t want to take any unwanted calls, make sure not to be apprehensive of phone numbers you’ve never seen before. 

During 2024, the FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry report noted 16,054 complaints from the state of Nebraska alone. Of those, there are around 765 complaints per 100,000 residents.  

• Rank: 6
• Complaints: 14,925
• Robocalls: 8,149
• Live scam calls: 4,863

Red flags to watch out for

The top three scam types in Nebraska vary, but they generally hover around the financial, medical, and impersonation categories. 

1. Imposter Scams

• Imposter scams and schemes are all about taking on the trusted identities of friends and family, especially those with an online presence. This leads to call recipients becoming susceptible to pleas for financial help or sensitive personal information. 
• Over 60% of all total complaints or 108,376 calls were from robocallers, so humans may not likely be participants in these scams.
• These calls made up 1,509 of all total complaints. 

2. Debt Consolidation Scams

• Bad actors may attempt to pose as banks, credit unions, collection agencies, and even credit card companies.
• Nearly 80% of all calls on this topic are actually robocallers. 
• These scams made up 1,438 of all total complaints

3. Medical & Prescription Scams

• Individuals posing as health insurance companies, hospitals, and other public health institutions. 
• Nearly 50% of all scams in this category are carried out by robocallers, with a similar percentage for live callers. 
• These scams make up 1,438 of all total complaints.

How to block 402 area code phone calls

Be wary of random calls from area codes that you don’t recognize. Sometimes these can be numbers posing as official institutions, such as banks, hospitals, cloud storage companies, and even phone carriers. 

If you’re concerned that you’re getting too many calls from the 402 area code and don’t know anyone from that area code, you can block those numbers using the following strategies: 

1. Use your smartphone’s phone app for call blocking

• iPhone: Navigate to the Recents list, inside your iOS phone app. Select the ⓘ icon next to the number, then select Block this Caller.
• Android: Navigate to the Phone app. Once you see a list of recent phone numbers, tap a number, select Details, and then select Block. 

2. Use a third-party app to filter out spam calls

• If you subscribe to a phone call spam app, you can get powerful tools to protect your peace of mind and prevent unwanted ringing from scam phone calls. However, it’s worth noting that some of these services, like Truecaller or Hiya, offer free protection so you’re not completely at the mercy of strange phone numbers. 

3. Add your phone number to the Do No Call Registry 

• If you want to have maximum impact with minimal effort (or have just had enough), you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. When you make reports to the FTC, it helps the rest of the country track and shut down scam call operation centers located in Nebraska and elsewhere.  

How to look up a 402 phone number

Using Google: Using a search engine, like Google, just enter the phone number and see if it gets matched to previously indexed businesses.

Checking the official FCC scam number database: Use this official government resource by the Federal Communications Commission to track, identify, and report scam numbers. 

Running a reverse phone lookup: Use a lookup tool to reveal names, addresses, and more attached to a specific 402 area code number. 

Need more intel on a 402 area code? Run a reverse number search and find the information you’re looking for.