Short answer: Don't press a key or call back. Save the voicemail, note the caller ID and time, then report the call to the FCC Consumer Complaints Center, the FTC's ReportFraud service, or both. Ask your phone carrier to block or label future calls. Contact a state attorney general when you can identify a business.
This is for U.S. consumers. It's informational, not legal advice.
What to do before you file
Work through these while the details are still easy to check:
- Hang up without interacting. The FTC warns that pressing a number can lead to more robocalls. Don't give account details, verification codes, a Social Security number, or payment information.
- Keep the voicemail and call record. Save the original message, the date and time, the number on the screen, and any spam label.
- Write down what you heard. Note the claimed company or agency, the reason given for calling, what you were asked to do, and any callback number or website.
- Block or report the number in your phone or carrier tools. That can cut repeat calls from the same displayed number. Spoofed caller ID still means one block may not stop the campaign.
- Lock down accounts if you shared anything. Use the official app, website, or statement for your bank, card issuer, or other provider -- not a number the caller supplied.
A screenshot of caller ID is useful, but it doesn't prove who placed the call. Telemarketers can change that information easily and often.
Which agency should get the complaint?
| Where to report | Best use | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| FCC | Unwanted calls, caller ID spoofing, and phone-service issues | Complaints inform policy and possible enforcement. The FCC doesn't resolve individual unwanted-call complaints. |
| FTC | Scams, impersonation, fraud, and telemarketing or Do Not Call concerns | Reports are analyzed for patterns and enforcement. A report isn't a personal reply or a refund. |
| State attorney general | An identifiable business, a local company, or a possible state-law issue | Procedures vary. The office may investigate or refer the matter. It generally can't represent you in a private case. |
| Phone carrier | Blocking, call labeling, and account-level spam reports | This can reduce calls. It's a service setting, not a federal enforcement complaint. |
If you're not sure where to start, USAGov's complaint page for phone scams and telemarketers lists reporting options for sales and scam calls.
How to report a robocall to the FCC
Use the FCC for the unwanted call, spoofing, or a problem involving your phone provider.
- Open the FCC Consumer Complaints Center.
- Choose the phone category for unwanted calls or texts.
- Select all other unwanted calls or messages for a typical robocall.
- If someone is using your own telephone number as the caller ID, choose your own number being spoofed.
- Enter the details from your call log and notes. Include the number as displayed, even if you think it was fake.
- Describe the recorded message in your own words. Name any company, government agency, product, payment demand, or callback instruction.
- Follow the portal's instructions if you add a voicemail, screenshot, or other file.
- Submit the complaint and save the confirmation.
Don't treat the filing as a request to stop this week's calls or open a personal investigation. Reports help the agency spot trends and support later enforcement. For the category labels, see the FCC's unwanted calls and texts guidance.
How to report the call to the FTC
File with the FTC when the recording involved a scam, impersonation, fraud, or a possible telemarketing violation.
- Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Pick the category that most closely matches the call.
- Explain what the recording said and what it asked you to do.
- Include the displayed number, date, time, claimed organization, website, callback number, and any money or personal information involved.
- Say whether you lost money or gave the caller access to an account.
- Submit the report and keep a copy of the confirmation.
You can also report fraud by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP. Consumer reports help the FTC map calling patterns and support actions against companies and people behind illegal calls.
If it may be a Do Not Call violation
The National Do Not Call Registry matters most for unwanted sales calls. You can register up to three phone numbers online, and you must confirm each one through an email link within 72 hours.
You don't need to be on the registry before you report a scam robocall. Registration also doesn't stop every unwanted call. Scammers may ignore it, and some call types are exempt. If you're reporting a possible Do Not Call issue, include:
- The date and time of each call
- The number displayed on your phone
- The company or product mentioned
- Whether the call was a sales message
- Whether you had given the business permission to contact you
- Whether you already had a relationship with the business
- Any request you made to stop future calls
Check the registry's current instructions for when a new registration takes effect.
How to complain to your state attorney general
This route is worth using when the caller names a business, the same company keeps contacting you, or the conduct may violate state law.
Search for your state's official attorney general site and its consumer complaint form. Skip any form the caller sent, and skip search results that charge a fee to file.
Include the business name, website, phone numbers, dates, a transcript of the message, and copies of related emails, invoices, or account records. If the caller impersonated a local business or public agency, say that clearly.
Each office sets its own process. California's attorney general consumer page, for example, says complaints help the office learn about misconduct and decide whether to investigate. It also says the office can't give legal advice or represent people in personal actions.
What your phone carrier can do
Through the carrier's official app, website, or support channel, you can usually:
- Block a number
- Report a call as spam
- Turn on spam-call filtering
- Review call-labeling settings
- Ask what protections apply to your type of phone service
Call blocking and call labeling are different. Blocking software or a carrier feature can stop many calls before they ring. Labeling still lets the call through, but the screen may show a warning such as "spam" or "scam likely."
The FTC's guide to blocking unwanted calls covers cell phones, internet-based home phones, and traditional landlines. Read the privacy terms and any cost before you install a third-party app or buy a blocking device. A paid tool still may not identify every spoofed caller.
Stronger evidence for repeated calls
One call is enough to report. A short log makes a pattern easier to see.
| Date and time | Number shown | Message or claimed business | What the caller requested | Voicemail or screenshot |
|---|
For a series of calls, note whether they used different local numbers, the same script, or the same callback number. Describe that pattern. Don't claim every number belongs to the same person unless you have evidence.
Keep the original voicemail and write an accurate transcript. If you record a live call, check the recording-consent rules in your state and any other state that may apply. If you're unsure, a voicemail, call log, and written notes are enough to start.
Redact extra financial or identity details before you upload files. Put sensitive information in an official portal only when the form asks for it.
What happens after you report
Outcomes depend on where you filed and how complete the record is:
- FCC: The complaint becomes data for policy work and possible enforcement, not a personal dispute process.
- FTC: Your report is combined with others to support investigations, lawsuits, or other enforcement. Most people don't get an immediate reply.
- State AG: The office may investigate, ask for more information, refer the complaint, or take no further action. Filing doesn't guarantee a refund.
- Carrier: Blocking or labeling may cut future calls. A new spoofed number can still get through.
Save confirmation numbers, agency emails, and your evidence log. When more calls arrive, add them to the record instead of relying on memory.
What the TRACED Act does -- and doesn't do -- for you
The TRACED Act and related FCC work are part of the federal effort to reduce illegal robocalls, improve caller-ID authentication, and hold bad actors and industry participants accountable. The Congressional Research Service background on robocalls summarizes that activity.
Those measures don't make caller ID reliable, identify the real caller from your complaint, or promise compensation. A complaint also isn't a request for an automatic fine. The useful part is a factual report: displayed number, recording, timing, script, and any financial harm.
Common questions
Should I report a robocall to both the FCC and FTC?
Often, yes. Use the FCC for the unwanted call or spoofing, and the FTC when the call involved fraud, impersonation, or telemarketing. Match each form to that agency's focus. Don't copy guesses about who placed the call.
Can I report a robocall if the number was blocked or private?
Yes. Say the number was blocked, private, or unavailable. Include every detail you do have: time, voicemail, script, claimed organization, and callback number.
Will filing a complaint stop the calls?
Not by itself. Turn on blocking or labeling at the same time. Because caller ID can be spoofed, blocking one displayed number may not end the campaign.
Can a robocall complaint get my money back?
A complaint helps regulators collect information. It isn't a refund or chargeback request. If you paid a scammer or shared account credentials, contact the financial institution right away through an official channel and keep the transaction records.
Do I need the caller's real identity?
No. Don't guess or name a specific person without evidence. Report what appeared on your phone, what the recording said, and what happened after you answered.
Open the most recent voicemail and call log, then file those facts with the FCC and FTC while they're still on your phone.