Is 855 a toll-free number?

Is 855 a toll-free number?

Yes. The FCC lists 855 among the seven US toll-free codes, next to 800, 833, 844, 866, 877 and 888 ^[1]. From a US landline the call costs you nothing; the business that holds the number pays ^[5]. The codes are not interchangeable: 1-855-555-0142 and 1-800-555-0142 are likely to ring two different companies ^[6].

Is 1-855 the same as Cambodia's +855?

No. +855 is Cambodia's country code in the ITU's E.164 list ^[3], while 1-855 is a North American toll-free code. The digits in front tell them apart. A number written as 1, 855 and seven digits is toll-free. A number written as +855, or dialed 011 855 from the US, is an international call to Cambodia ^[7].

If a missed call shows +855 and you know nobody in Cambodia, do not call back. You would pay for an international call to a stranger.

When did 855 open?

The 855 code opened on 9 October 2010, after the FCC moved the date back ^[2]. It was the fifth code, after 800, 888, 877 and 866 ^[8]. To share the numbers fairly, each RespOrg could reserve only 100 a day for the first 30 days ^[8][8].

The 855 order also repeated that FCC rules strictly forbid warehousing, which means holding numbers nobody uses ^[8]. The same daily cap came back when 844 opened in 2013 ^[8][9].

How do I dial a 1-855 number from the US and from abroad?

From a US or Canadian phone, dial 1, 855 and the seven digits. From another country, dial your exit code, then country code 1, then all ten digits ^[7]. Never drop the 1. Without it, the network reads 855 as a country code and tries to reach Cambodia instead of the company ^[3].

A real example: the US Social Security Administration lists 1-855-522-6936 for callers outside the US, and its page warns that your local carrier may still charge you ^[10].

What does a call to 855 cost?

Nothing from a US landline ^[1]. On a US mobile, the call uses airtime unless the plan has unlimited minutes ^[1]. From outside the US and Canada, an 855 line may not connect at all, or your carrier may bill it as an international call ^[4]. Check for an overseas number first.

If the company has none, an internet calling app can place the call. TwinPhone charges US$0.02 a minute to US toll-free numbers, so it is not free ^[11], and lines limited to certain US states will not connect ^[12]. TwinPhone covers calling an 855 line from outside the US; the ranking above and the main guide list the other ways. Emergency numbers need a local phone, not an app ^[12].

Who is calling me from 855? Is it a scam?

An 855 caller ID only says the number is toll-free. It does not prove who is calling. Scammers can make any name or number show on your screen ^[13]. The FCC calls this spoofing: faking caller ID on purpose to look like a trusted company or government agency ^[14].

• Payment by gift card, crypto, a payment app or a wire transfer marks a scam ^[13].
• If the caller says they are your bank or a government office, hang up and call the number on your statement or the official website ^[14].
• Treat an unexpected +855 missed call the same way: wait, and do not ring back.

Other toll-free prefixes

855 sits between 844 and 866 in number order. Each code has a short page with its opening date and dialing notes. The full list, including reserved codes that are not in service, is on toll-free prefixes. The basics are in what a toll-free number is and whether toll-free calls are free.

• Is 844 toll-free?The 2013 code
• Is 866 toll-free?The fourth toll-free code
• All toll-free prefixesIn service and reserved codes