Is there a real Grinch phone number?

Where the viral "Grinch number" really goes

Every December a post goes around claiming that if you call a certain number, the Grinch answers. The number belongs to a real congressional office in Washington, D.C., and in past years staff and a local business one digit away were flooded with calls from families. We won't repeat it here. If you see a "Grinch number" with a 202 area code, that's the one.

Free Christmas lines that do exist

Test any number before your child dials it. Seasonal lines change.

Why kids want to call the Grinch

For many families the Grinch call is a behavior tool dressed up as a joke: "If you keep this up, the Grinch will hear about it." Kids also just love the character. The apps that promise a Grinch call are prank simulators — a recorded voice and a fake caller screen — and they can't mention your child or respond to them.

If what you're really after is a word about behavior, you can call Santa about the naughty list instead — it does the job better: Santa names the one thing your child is working on, opens with something good, and asks for a promise — without the scare. The Grinch is a character owned by Dr. Seuss Enterprises; we don't offer Grinch calls and aren't affiliated with them.