Save the call details before you block the number. For most unwanted robocalls in the United States, the FCC is the first reporting route. Add an FTC report if the caller tried to scam, impersonate someone, commit fraud, or make an illegal telemarketing call. A state attorney general can help when the business or calling pattern connects to your state.
These agencies use reports differently. None promises a callback, a stopped call, or a refund.
Choose the right complaint route
Start with the reason you are reporting. One call can fit more than one route.
| Where to file | Best fit | What the agency does |
|---|---|---|
| FCC | Unwanted calls or texts, caller ID spoofing, and phone-network problems | Uses complaint information for policy work and possible enforcement. It does not resolve individual unwanted-call complaints. |
| FTC | Scams, impersonation, fraud, and telemarketing concerns | Analyzes reports and patterns to identify illegal callers. It is not a personal refund or dispute service. |
| Your state AG | A business or calling pattern connected to your state | Procedures vary. The office may investigate, enforce state law, or offer consumer mediation. |
The FCC and FTC can both fit the same call. File with both when it was unwanted and fraudulent.
Save evidence before you report
Start with the record on your phone. Save what you can, even if the voicemail is incomplete or the caller ID looks suspicious.
- the date, time, and time zone
- the number shown and any displayed name
- the voicemail, recording, or transcript
- the company or agency the caller claimed to represent
- the pitch, demand, threat, or payment instruction
- whether you gave permission or had an existing business relationship, if known
- screenshots of texts, websites, caller ID, and confirmation messages
- details about money or personal information you shared
Turns out, the number on your screen may belong to somebody uninvolved. Treat caller ID as a clue, not a verdict.
A robocall describes how the call arrived. It does not, by itself, establish that the call was unlawful. Prerecorded and artificial voices can occur in sales, political, charity, survey, informational, or emergency calls, and permission can change the analysis.
Do not call back merely to gather more evidence. If you record a live call, check your state's recording-consent rules first. A voicemail, screenshot, or note made soon after the call may be enough.
Keep the original files. Send copies when a form asks for documents.
How to file an FCC robocall complaint
Open the FCC's unwanted calls and texts page and choose its complaint option. The form's phone issue choices are the part most likely to slow you down.
- Select "unwanted calls/texts" as the Phone Issue.
- Select "all other unwanted calls/messages" as the sub-issue when that fits. If your own number is being spoofed, select "my own number is being spoofed."
- Have your phone number, the call's date and time, the displayed caller ID, and the number of calls ready.
- Describe what happened. Say whether the voice was prerecorded, artificial, or live, and mention any request for money or personal information.
- Attach supporting files if the form accepts them. Submit the complaint, then save the confirmation page or email.
If the displayed number looked spoofed, say so plainly. If the voice sounded synthetic or AI-generated, describe what you heard rather than guessing who made the call.
Thing is, an FCC complaint is not an individual case. The FCC says it does not resolve individual unwanted call or text complaints. Your report may still help reveal patterns involving callers, carriers, or spoofing.
File while the details are fresh. Call records and voicemails can disappear.
Report scams and fraud to the FTC
Send a report through ReportFraud.gov when the caller sought money, personal information, account access, or government credentials. Include the identity the caller claimed, the displayed number, any website or payment instructions, and the story used to persuade you.
The FTC's robocall guidance says the agency studies report data and trends to identify illegal callers by their calling patterns. It also releases the phone numbers people report to the public each business day. A detailed report can help even when nobody contacts you.
Money already changed hands? Report the fraud anyway. Then contact your bank, card issuer, wire service, gift card company, or payment app immediately. Recovery depends on how you paid, and some dispute options have deadlines.
What the Do Not Call Registry changes
Register your number at the National Do Not Call Registry if you have not already. The Registry covers most telemarketing calls, not every unwanted call.
A scammer may ignore the list. A scam call still belongs in an FTC or FCC report.
Consent and an existing business relationship can affect a telemarketing complaint. The FTC's National Do Not Call Registry FAQ says an established business relationship can allow calls for a limited period after a transaction; the FTC's Registry information describes that period as up to 18 months. Written permission can also matter, and state rules may add protections.
Do not treat a Do Not Call complaint as proof that every robocall was illegal. Describe what happened first.
Contact your state attorney general
Use the National Association of Attorneys General directory to reach your state's official website. Look there for a consumer complaint or consumer protection form.
Write a short timeline. Include the business name, numbers used, and copies of your records. Read the form's privacy and disclosure terms before uploading anything sensitive.
State AG offices do not all handle complaints the same way. One office may investigate a pattern or enforce state law; another may offer consumer mediation. A complaint is not automatically a class-action signup, and it does not guarantee restitution.
For examples of official starting points, see the California Attorney General contact page, New York's consumer issues page, and the Texas Attorney General's consumer protection page.
What the TRACED Act and caller ID rules mean
The FCC's TRACED Act implementation materials describe anti-spoofing measures and STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication for the internet-protocol portions of phone networks. The FCC required originating and terminating phone companies to implement those standards in their IP networks by June 30, 2021, subject to the rules and exemptions in its materials.
These are network and enforcement tools. They do not establish that the displayed number belongs to the caller. They also do not turn a consumer report into a private case with guaranteed compensation.
Describe an AI-sounding call accurately. Use terms such as "prerecorded" or "synthetic voice" only when they match what you heard. Facts are more useful than a confident guess about the technology.
What to do after filing
Save every confirmation page and email. If more calls arrive, keep a simple log with the date, time, number, and message.
Block the number after preserving the evidence. Your carrier may also offer call-blocking or call-labeling tools; the FTC's report on the National Do Not Call Registry says major voice providers offer these tools to some or all customers.
To be honest, a complaint may not produce a callback. It still adds a data point, and repeated reports can help show a wider pattern.
If the caller obtained account details, change the affected passwords and contact the relevant provider. If money was sent, contact the payment provider before waiting for an agency response.
A short complaint description you can adapt
On [date] at [time and time zone], I received a call at [your number]. The displayed caller ID was [number and name]. The caller used a [prerecorded, synthetic, or live] voice and claimed to represent [claimed company or agency]. The call asked for [money, account details, login information, or another action]. I [did or did not] give permission for these calls, if known. I have attached [voicemail, screenshot, transcript, or other record].
Use only statements you can support. If you are unsure who called, say that the number or identity appeared to be spoofed.
Common questions
Can I file with the FCC, FTC, and my state AG?
Yes. Reuse the same core facts, but explain why each office is relevant. The FCC handles unwanted-call information, the FTC focuses on fraud and telemarketing patterns, and the state AG follows its own process.
Can I report a spoofed number?
Yes. Include the number shown on your phone and say that you believe it may have been spoofed. If the caller used your own number, choose the FCC option for "my own number is being spoofed."
Can I see the status of an FCC complaint?
The FCC says it does not resolve individual unwanted-call complaints. Keep your confirmation, but expect the report to support broader agency work rather than create a guaranteed personal response.
Will a complaint get my money back?
Not by itself. Contact the bank, card issuer, or payment service immediately because its fraud or dispute process is separate from an FCC, FTC, or state AG report. A private legal claim is separate too.
Your next step
Write down the last call's date, time, displayed number, and request. Then open the FCC form while those details are fresh. If money or account information was involved, contact the relevant provider first instead of waiting for an agency response.