Save first, block second. If an unknown robocaller reaches you, don't press a key, call back, or provide personal or financial information. Keep the call log and voicemail, then block the number and report it through the channel that fits the call.

An automated call isn't automatically illegal. For U.S. consumers, the answer usually depends on the call's purpose, whether it reached a cell phone or residential line, the technology used, consent, the caller's identity, and state law. A scammer may ignore every rule, while a legitimate business may have an exception or consent record that changes the analysis. Reports also don't automatically produce compensation.

When can a robocall violate the rules?

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, federal telemarketing rules, the National Do Not Call Registry, caller ID rules, and state laws can overlap. These details often matter:

• A sales call to a registered personal number: A telemarketer generally shouldn't call a number on the National Do Not Call Registry after registration has been active for at least 31 days, unless an exception applies.
• A prerecorded or automated call to a cell phone: The TCPA restricts certain calls made with an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice without the consent the rule requires.
• A prerecorded telemarketing call: Telemarketing calls using an artificial or prerecorded voice often require prior express written consent, subject to exceptions.
• Misleading caller ID: Knowingly sending inaccurate caller ID information with an intent to defraud, cause harm, or obtain something of value can violate federal law. A spoofed number alone usually won't identify the business responsible.
• The time of the call: Federal rules generally restrict covered telemarketing calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in the recipient's local time. State limits may be stricter.

The Do Not Call Registry isn't a ban on every unwanted call. Political calls, charitable solicitations, surveys, some calls from companies with an existing relationship, and scam calls can be treated differently. Those calls may still be subject to other rules. Registration also doesn't cancel consent you previously gave a particular company or replace a direct request to a legitimate business to stop marketing calls.

Preserve the evidence before you block the number

A long list of blocked numbers is less useful than a clear record showing what happened. Create a log for each caller or campaign and keep the original records.

Take screenshots before deleting the call or voicemail. Keep the original audio file instead of editing it. If a message includes a link or callback number, don't click or call it to investigate. Verify a claimed business through a statement, payment card, account portal, or official website that you find independently.

Call-recording laws vary by state. Some require everyone on the call to consent to the recording. Don't record unless you understand the rules that may apply where you and the other participant are located. A written log, saved voicemail, and call records can support a report even without a recording.

Register your number if you haven't already

Register personal numbers through the National Do Not Call Registry. You can register up to three numbers online at one time. Open the confirmation email for each number and click its link within 72 hours, or the registration won't be activated.

Allow up to 31 days after activation for lawful telemarketers to update their calling lists. Save the confirmation email or take a screenshot showing the registration date. That record can help establish when the number became eligible for Do Not Call protections.

Registration isn't a call-blocking service. It won't stop every scammer, and it doesn't erase consent previously given to a particular company. If unwanted sales calls continue, document them and consider both carrier blocking and a company-specific stop-calling request.

The FTC's National Do Not Call Registry FAQs explain the registry's limits and why reporting patterns can help.

If you recognize the company

Don't assume the caller is genuine just because the person gives a familiar business name. Find the company's contact information on a statement, payment card, account portal, or official website.

Once you've independently verified the business, you can say:

Please place this number on your internal do-not-call list. I do not consent to further marketing calls.

Write down the date and the representative's name, if available. A written request through a verified customer-service email, account portal, or business address gives you a clearer record:

• Identify the phone number that received the calls.
• List the dates and approximate times.
• State that you revoke any marketing permission and request placement on the company's internal do-not-call list.
• Ask the company to stop calling and preserve records related to your number.
• Save the sent message and any response.

A stop-calling request can strengthen the evidence, but it isn't required in every situation and doesn't by itself prove a legal violation. Don't include your Social Security number, passwords, payment credentials, or identity documents.

Don't use the script with an obvious scammer. Pressing a number, arguing, or confirming personal details may reveal that your number is active. Hang up instead.

For a suspicious text, avoid links and attachments. Use STOP only when the message clearly comes from a legitimate sender you recognize. Otherwise, save a screenshot, report the message through your phone or carrier, and block it.

A company's claim that you gave consent doesn't settle the issue. Keep the records showing what you agreed to, whether the call matched that agreement, and when you withdrew permission.

Report the call through the right channel

A report usually won't produce an immediate response or payment. It gives regulators information they can use to spot patterns and may help connect separate complaints to the same campaign.

Report a possible Do Not Call violation

Use the National Do Not Call Registry website to report an unwanted sales call after your number has been active for at least 31 days. Include:

• The number that received the call
• The caller ID number and name
• The date and time
• The company or product mentioned
• Whether the call was prerecorded or connected to a live representative
• Any opt-out request and what happened afterward

Report a scam or fraud attempt

Submit scam details through FTC ReportFraud. Include the caller's claims, payment instructions, phone numbers, websites, and any money or account information involved.

The FTC says report data helps it analyze calling patterns and identify illegal callers. It also says illegal telemarketers have paid more than $290 million in judgments. That figure describes enforcement outcomes; it isn't money automatically paid to people who submit reports.

File an FCC complaint

Use the FCC consumer complaint form for unwanted calls, unwanted texts, and suspected caller ID spoofing. Provide the number called, displayed caller ID, date and time, message, and any information that may identify the provider or business.

An FCC complaint is an informal regulatory report, not a lawsuit. The FCC doesn't decide an individual damages claim through that form, and filing doesn't guarantee that the calls will stop.

Contact your state consumer-protection office

A state attorney general or consumer-protection agency may enforce state telemarketing or anti-fraud laws. State rules can add restrictions or remedies that don't exist under federal law. Use the official government website for the state where you live, and keep the complaint confirmation number.

Use carrier and phone settings carefully

After saving the records, check your carrier account and phone settings for:

• Spam detection and call labeling
• Silence or screening for unknown callers
• Blocking individual numbers
• Blocking likely scam or invalid numbers
• Reporting unwanted calls and texts

Save existing screenshots and call records before turning on aggressive filtering. Screening can catch a doctor's office, school, delivery service, or employer. Blocking one displayed number may do little if the caller keeps changing spoofed numbers.

Third-party call-blocking apps can add filters, but review their privacy policy, permissions, and subscription terms first. Some services may access call logs or contacts. A spam label is a warning, not proof that a particular company made the call.

What STIR/SHAKEN can and cannot show

STIR/SHAKEN is a provider-level system that authenticates caller ID information on many internet-based calls. It can help providers and phones determine whether the originating provider attested to the displayed number.

It doesn't prove that the caller is trustworthy, that you gave consent, or that the call is legal. It doesn't cover every call path or eliminate spoofing. A verified caller ID can still be used by a dishonest operation, and a legitimate call can receive an inaccurate spam label.

Treat a STIR/SHAKEN result or phone label as one piece of evidence. Save the label shown by your phone, then give the carrier or FCC the exact number, date, time, and voicemail. STIR/SHAKEN isn't a consumer compensation process, and an individual generally can't use it to reverse a provider's authentication decision.

When a TCPA claim may be worth exploring

Certain TCPA provisions allow a consumer to pursue actual monetary loss or $500 in damages per qualifying violation. If a court finds the conduct willful or knowing, it may increase the amount to as much as $1,500 per violation.

That is a possible remedy, not an automatic payment for every robocall. A court may need to decide:

• Whether the call used an automatic telephone dialing system, artificial voice, or prerecorded voice covered by the relevant provision
• Whether the call was marketing, informational, political, charitable, or another type
• Whether you gave consent and what that consent covered
• Whether you revoked consent or made a company-specific do-not-call request
• Whether the number was on the federal registry long enough for the rule to apply
• Which company made, initiated, or benefited from the call
• Whether the displayed number was spoofed
• Whether the evidence supports each alleged violation

The FTC and FCC don't normally bring an individual TCPA lawsuit for you. If you're considering a claim, organize the evidence before contacting a consumer-protection attorney or legal-aid service. Ask about the statute of limitations, arbitration clauses, court fees, small-claims limits, and attorney fees. Those details vary.

A class action may be considered when many consumers received substantially similar calls from the same identifiable company. It isn't guaranteed, and a settlement can affect your ability to bring an individual claim. Don't pay anyone who promises a guaranteed recovery or asks for sensitive information before explaining the fee agreement.

Quick decision guide

Frequently asked questions

Why am I still receiving calls after joining the Do Not Call Registry?

The registry can reduce lawful sales calls, but it doesn't block calls. Scammers may ignore it, and political, charitable, survey, and certain relationship-based calls may follow different rules. Allow up to 31 days after activation before deciding that a sales caller may have violated the registry.

Does an FCC or FTC complaint get me compensation?

Usually not. Complaints support investigations and enforcement but don't create an individual damages award. Compensation generally requires a direct resolution with an identifiable business or a private legal claim.

Can I claim $1,500 for every robocall?

You may be able to seek up to $1,500 per qualifying TCPA violation when a court finds the conduct willful or knowing. The amount isn't guaranteed, and an unwanted call alone may not establish a violation.

Should I call the number back to identify the caller?

No. Caller ID can be spoofed, and calling back can confirm that your number is active. Use the voicemail, account records, and independently verified business contact information instead.

Do I need a recording to report a robocall?

No. Call logs, screenshots, voicemails, texts, consent records, and opt-out requests can all help. If you record, check the consent rules in every relevant state first.

For a call received today, save the call log and voicemail, write down the details while they're fresh, block the number, and file the FCC, FTC, or state report that matches the call.