708 Area Code — Chicago South Suburbs, Illinois

Area Code Overview

Area code 708 was created in 1989 as the first split from the original 312 code, taking over service for the entirety of Chicago's suburban Cook County. After further splits created 630 (DuPage County, 1996) and 847 (north suburbs, 1996), 708 settled into its current footprint: the south and west suburbs of Cook County. This includes Oak Park, Cicero, Berwyn, Harvey, Calumet City, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Blue Island, Evergreen Park, and Alsip.

708 territory is economically diverse — Oak Park and Orland Park are solidly middle-class and above, while communities like Harvey, Calumet City, and Blue Island have higher poverty rates and significant populations enrolled in state assistance programs. Midway Airport sits in Chicago's southwest side but serves the broader 708 corridor with significant traveler traffic from south suburban communities. The area's used car market is active, reflecting a car-dependent lifestyle and a range of income levels. This economic diversity creates distinct fraud patterns: some schemes target assistance-program enrollees, others exploit travel disruptions, and still others take advantage of the region's active informal vehicle commerce.

Scam Patterns in 708

Illinois Medicaid and SNAP Benefit Eligibility Fraud
The south suburban Cook County communities served by 708 — including Harvey, Calumet City, Dolton, Markham, and Blue Island — have among the highest rates of Medicaid and SNAP enrollment in the Chicago metro area. Scam texts impersonate the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) or the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), claiming the recipient's benefits are at risk of termination due to a redetermination deadline, an eligibility discrepancy, or a missing document — and that immediate action via a link is required to avoid loss of coverage. A related variant offers to help recipients enroll in additional benefits or increase their benefit amount for a small fee. These scams intensified following the end of the COVID-era continuous enrollment protections, when states genuinely began conducting Medicaid redeterminations and millions of enrolled individuals did receive real eligibility notices. Illinois HFS and IDHS do not request personal information or payment via unsolicited text. Benefit status should be verified at abe.illinois.gov.

Midway Airport Flight Disruption, Refund, and Airline Miles Fraud
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is a major hub for Southwest Airlines and serves significant passenger volume from the 708 south suburban corridor. Scam texts impersonate Southwest Airlines or generic "airline customer service" departments, targeting 708 residents who have recently traveled or booked through Midway. The texts claim a flight has been cancelled or delayed and offer refund processing via a link, or claim the recipient's Rapid Rewards miles are expiring and require account verification to preserve. A related variant impersonates travel insurance companies, claiming a disruption claim requires documentation submitted through a link. Southwest Airlines does not process refunds or communicate flight changes solely through unsolicited texts to unenrolled numbers. Check flight status and account information directly at southwest.com.

Vehicle Title Washing and Used Car Payment Fraud
The south suburban Cook County used car market — supported by a dense network of independent dealers in communities like Harvey, Dolton, and Calumet City — is an environment where title fraud and payment scams have been documented. Scam texts target both buyers and sellers: buyers searching for vehicles receive texts from apparent private sellers or dealers offering below-market cars that require an immediate deposit to hold, sent via Venmo or Zelle before any inspection. Sellers receive texts from apparent buyers claiming to have sent a payment via cashier's check and requesting the title be signed over before the check clears. Title washing — the process of fraudulently clearing a salvage or lien title — is a separate but related fraud in which 708-area buyers are sold vehicles with concealed title problems that emerge only after purchase. Any used vehicle purchase in Illinois should include a title history check through the Illinois Secretary of State and inspection of the physical title document before any funds change hands.

VoIP and Spoofing Risk Assessment

Risk Level: MOD

708 has a mixed number profile: older south suburban communities retain a higher proportion of landlines from legacy providers, while the region's diverse demographics include a significant mobile-first population. The code does not have the extreme VoIP concentration of a newer overlay, but its geographic breadth and the economic vulnerability of several communities within it make it an active fraud target. Medicaid and benefits fraud in particular is operationally concentrated in high-enrollment south suburban zip codes, and 708 numbers are spoofed to appear as local government or healthcare contacts to those communities.

What To Do If You Receive a Text From a 708 Number

1. Do not click any link in a text claiming to be from Illinois HFS, IDHS, Southwest Airlines, or an auto dealer you did not contact first. Navigate to official government websites or airline sites directly.
2. Look up the number at Who Sent That Text Message to check for prior reports and to identify whether the number is a VoIP line before responding.
3. Verify Medicaid or SNAP eligibility status at abe.illinois.gov using your own login. Verify airline account status at the carrier's official site. See our guide on identifying spoofed text messages.
4. Report the text by forwarding to 7726 (SPAM). File with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Report Illinois benefits fraud to the IDHS Office of Inspector General at 1-800-368-1463.

Frequently Asked Questions

What area code is 708?
Area code 708 covers Chicago's south and west suburbs in Cook County, including Oak Park, Cicero, Berwyn, Harvey, Orland Park, Tinley Park, and Blue Island. It was created in 1989 as the first split from the original 312 area code.

Is area code 708 a scam?
708 is a legitimate area code used by millions of south and west suburban Cook County residents and businesses. It is used in targeted fraud campaigns — particularly Illinois Medicaid/SNAP benefit impersonation and Midway Airport travel fraud — because several communities in 708 territory have high assistance program enrollment and significant travel volume through Midway. An unknown 708 text requesting personal information or payment should be verified before responding.

How do I check my Illinois Medicaid or SNAP status without clicking a text link?
Log into the Illinois ABE (Application for Benefits Eligibility) portal directly at abe.illinois.gov using credentials you set up when you applied. You can also call the IDHS helpline at 1-800-843-6154. Illinois HFS and IDHS will not ask you to verify eligibility or submit documents via a link in an unsolicited text.

Related Area Codes

• 312 — Chicago core (downtown and central city). The original Chicago area code from which 708 was split in 1989.
• 630 — Chicago western suburbs (DuPage County: Naperville, Downers Grove, Wheaton). Borders 708 territory to the west.
• 815 — Northern Illinois and south suburban fringe (Joliet, Kankakee, Rockford). Borders 708 territory to the south and west.