Area code 438
Area code 438 holds 604 in-service central-office prefixes in the CNAC register, covering roughly 6,040,000 telephone numbers. They are split between 20 carriers and 6 rate centres. The largest is Montreal. Recorded assignments run from April 24, 2007 to December 18, 2025. That ranks it 32 of 55 Canadian area codes by prefix count.
Background reading: Caller ID spoofing, STIR/SHAKEN, and how to actually block calls in Canada · Canadian area codes, overlays, and what a 416 number actually tells you · One-ring scams and the Caribbean area codes that look Canadian
Area code 438 at a glance
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Main rate centres
- Montreal, Pointe-Claire, Ste-Genevieve, Ile-Perrot, Lachine
- Local time
- — Eastern Time (ET), UTC−5; UTC−4 in daylight saving time
- In service since
- November 4, 2006
- Split or overlaid from
- 514
- Number format
- 438-NXX-XXXX · +1 438 NXX XXXX
Sources: CNAC, NANPA (September 25, 2026), Statistics Canada.
In numbers
- In-service prefixes
- 604
- Telephone numbers covered
- 6,040,000
- Carriers
- 20
- Rate centres
- 6
- Provinces and territories
- 1
- First assignment
- April 24, 2007
- Most recent assignment
- December 18, 2025
Who holds these numbers
Bell Mobility holds the largest share at 174 prefixes, 28.8% of the total, ahead of 19 other carriers.
| Carrier | Prefixes | Share | First assigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell Mobility | 174 | 28.8 % | 2007 |
| Videotron Ltd. | 82 | 13.6 % | 2008 |
| Iristel Inc. | 75 | 12.4 % | 2011 |
| TELUS Mobility | 75 | 12.4 % | 2007 |
| Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Wireless) | 63 | 10.4 % | 2009 |
| Fibernetics Corporation | 27 | 4.5 % | 2009 |
| TELUS Quebec | 18 | 3.0 % | 2010 |
| Distributel | 17 | 2.8 % | 2011 |
| Fido Solutions Inc. | 17 | 2.8 % | 2013 |
| IXICA Communications Inc. | 15 | 2.5 % | 2017 |
| Zayo Canada Inc. | 7 | 1.2 % | 2012 |
| Bell Canada | 6 | 1.0 % | 2016 |
| FGLTEL Inc. | 6 | 1.0 % | 2022 |
| InnSysVoice Corp | 6 | 1.0 % | 2014 |
| TekSavvy Solutions Inc | 6 | 1.0 % | 2015 |
| ISP Telecom Inc. | 4 | 0.7 % | 2011 |
| Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc. | 3 | 0.5 % | 2008 |
| Beanfield Technologies Inc. | 1 | 0.2 % | 2013 |
| Cogeco Connexion Inc. | 1 | 0.2 % | 2024 |
| Comwave Networks | 1 | 0.2 % | 2013 |
Where these numbers land
Prefixes in 438 serve 6 rate centres. A rate centre is the billing area a prefix is attached to, not where the handset is.
| Rate centre | Province | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal | QC | 536 | 20 |
| Pointe-Claire | QC | 15 | 9 |
| Ste-Genevieve | QC | 15 | 8 |
| Ile-Perrot | QC | 14 | 9 |
| Lachine | QC | 13 | 9 |
| Roxboro | QC | 11 | 8 |
How the allocation was built up
| Period | Prefixes | Carriers |
|---|---|---|
| 2005–2009 | 37 | 6 |
| 2010–2014 | 172 | 14 |
| 2015–2019 | 202 | 14 |
| 2020–2024 | 175 | 11 |
| 2025–2029 | 18 | 4 |
Overlay area codes
438 shares its rate centres with 263, 514. Overlay codes cover the same ground, which is why ten-digit dialling is required: two neighbours on one street can hold different area codes.
What people check and report about 438 numbers
Searches typed into this site's lookup form since July 28, 2026, plus the verdicts and moderated reports visitors left. A search usually follows a missed call.
- Checks
- 92
- Different numbers
- 84
- Different people
- 89
3 verdicts and 3 reports
3 scam, 0 nuisance, 0 safe. Too few to show shares yet.
Report types: Scam (2).
| Number | Verdicts | Reports | People checking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 438-529-5606 | 1 scam | 1 | 1 |
| 438-792-7524 | 1 scam | 1 | 1 |
| 438-989-9040 | 1 scam | 1 | 1 |
Phone and text fraud in Quebec
In 2024 the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received 2,629 fraud reports from Quebec where the first contact was a phone call (2,120) or a text (509); 1,080 came from victims, who reported $10.1 million lost. The most common types were bank investigator, phishing, service.
January to September 2025: 1,567 reports (-22% on the same months of 2024) and $7.9 million reported lost (+4%).
Source: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre open data (Open Government Licence – Canada), current to September 29, 2025. These are province-wide figures, not specific to one area code, and only a fraction of fraud is ever reported. Dataset
Had a call from a 438 number?
Most verdicts and reports on these numbers describe scam attempts, so treat an unexpected call as a possible scam.
- Call back on a number you trust
If a caller says they are your bank, the Canada Revenue Agency, a courier or your phone company, hang up and call the organization on the number from its website or your statement, never the number that called you. Caller ID can be faked.
- Report the fraud
Report the call or text to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or at 1-888-495-8501. If you lost money or gave out personal details, tell your bank first, then your local police.
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726
Forward a scam or spam text to 7726 (SPAM on the keypad). It's free, and your carrier uses it to block the sender. Don't tap links or reply.
Area code 438: questions and answers
Where is area code 438?
438 serves Quebec. Its 604 in-service prefixes belong to 6 rate centres, mainly Montreal, Pointe-Claire, Ste-Genevieve and Ile-Perrot.
What time zone is area code 438 in?
Every placed rate centre in 438 is on Eastern Time (ET, UTC−5), with daylight saving time (UTC−4) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
When did area code 438 start?
438 has been in service since November 4, 2006; it was created from 514. It shares its territory with 263 and 514, so a new number there can get any of these codes.
Which carriers hold 438 numbers?
The CNAC register lists 20 carriers with prefixes in 438; the largest are Bell Mobility (28.8%), Videotron Ltd. (13.6%) and Iristel Inc. (12.4%). Numbers can be ported, so the original carrier may not be the current one.
Are calls from 438 numbers scams?
Visitors have left 3 verdicts on 438 numbers (3 scam, 0 nuisance, 0 safe) and 3 moderated reports. That covers the numbers people looked up, not all of 438: most belong to ordinary households and businesses, and scammers can display a local number.
Is phone fraud rising in Quebec?
In the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's open data, call and text fraud reports from Quebec went from 2,016 in January–September 2024 to 1,567 in the same months of 2025 (-22%). Reported losses went from $7.6 million to $7.9 million.
How do I report a scam call from a 438 number?
Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501). If you lost money, call your bank first, then your local police. Unwanted telemarketing goes to the National Do Not Call List, and spam texts can be forwarded to 7726.
Allocated prefixes
Showing 134 of 604 prefixes, largest rate centres first.
Montreal, QC
438-200 · 438-201 · 438-202 · 438-203 · 438-204 · 438-205 · 438-206 · 438-207 · 438-208 · 438-209 · 438-210 · 438-212 · 438-213 · 438-214 · 438-215 · 438-216 · 438-217 · 438-218 · 438-220 · 438-221 · 438-222 · 438-223 · 438-224 · 438-225 · 438-226 · 438-227 · 438-228 · 438-229 · 438-232 · 438-233 · 438-236 · 438-238 · 438-239 · 438-245 · 438-246 · 438-247 · 438-249 · 438-250 · 438-251 · 438-252 · 438-254 · 438-258 · 438-259 · 438-260 · 438-261 · 438-262 · 438-266 · 438-267 · 438-268 · 438-269 · 438-270 · 438-271 · 438-272 · 438-273 · 438-274 · 438-275 · 438-276 · 438-277 · 438-278 · 438-279 · 438-280 · 438-281 · 438-282 · 438-283 · 438-284 · 438-285
Pointe-Claire, QC
438-237 · 438-242 · 438-255 · 438-256 · 438-265 · 438-329 · 438-447 · 438-500 · 438-538 · 438-552 · 438-601 · 438-618 · 438-667 · 438-739 · 438-893
Ste-Genevieve, QC
438-230 · 438-231 · 438-244 · 438-248 · 438-298 · 438-299 · 438-300 · 438-331 · 438-554 · 438-608 · 438-669 · 438-740 · 438-818 · 438-895 · 438-973
Ile-Perrot, QC
438-240 · 438-257 · 438-326 · 438-428 · 438-549 · 438-599 · 438-638 · 438-664 · 438-700 · 438-701 · 438-702 · 438-703 · 438-890 · 438-970
Lachine, QC
438-241 · 438-264 · 438-327 · 438-551 · 438-577 · 438-600 · 438-609 · 438-619 · 438-648 · 438-665 · 438-819 · 438-891 · 438-971
Roxboro, QC
438-243 · 438-330 · 438-553 · 438-668 · 438-677 · 438-748 · 438-772 · 438-834 · 438-839 · 438-894 · 438-972
Allocation source: Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNAC), the registry that records which carrier a central-office code was originally issued to. An allocation says who was issued the prefix, not who serves the number today: numbers can be ported between carriers, and caller ID can be spoofed outright.