Whether you’re moving to Michigan or have lived there all your life, becoming familiar with the twelve area codes that serve the state is a smart idea. These days, scammers of all stripes use area codes from many states to trick you into answering the phone. If you live in the southern part of the state, seeing a northern area code on your phone screen could warn you to let the call go to voicemail until you can confirm who is on the other end of the line.

Area codes have been around since 1947, and they started as ways for switchboard operators to connect long-distance calls. Today, we associate area codes with the places we are from. Many people love having area codes from a certain area and don’t give them up even after moving somewhere else. For example, the 313 Detroit area code covers a small geographic area, but it encompasses many people, many of whom keep their Detroit phone numbers after leaving the state.

Today, you’re likely to receive calls from many area codes because friends and family change locations, and many people in your city may have a phone number that originated in a different state. Unfortunately, that makes it harder to spot spam calls because area codes no longer give away whether the call coming in is legitimate. Still, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with your state’s area codes. Checkthem has syndicated a comprehensive infographic giving you details about Michigan’s area codes, which you can quickly refer to any time you don’t recognize a Michigan caller on your phone.