If an unwanted robocall reached your U.S. phone, file a complaint that records what happened. Don't treat the form as a demand for a guaranteed fine. The FCC takes reports about unwanted calls, robotexts, and spoofing. The FTC takes reports about illegal telemarketing and scams.
The FCC generally doesn't resolve individual unwanted-call complaints. It uses reports to identify patterns, support policy decisions, and, in some cases, pursue enforcement. The FTC analyzes report data to identify illegal callers. A complaint can help build a case. It doesn't automatically produce a refund, a fine, or a payment to you.
The wording below is model language, not an official FCC letter. Replace every bracket with facts you can support.
Where to report a robocall
| Route | Best use | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| FCC Consumer Complaint Center | Unwanted calls, robotexts, caller ID spoofing, and telecom-related problems | Your report may support enforcement or traceback, but the FCC doesn't promise an individual response |
| FTC and the National Do Not Call Registry | Suspected illegal telemarketing, scams, and calls to a number on the registry | The FTC uses reports to analyze patterns and bring cases; a report isn't a private claim for money |
| State attorney general | Repeated calls from a business or scam operation affecting people in your state | Procedures and available remedies vary by state |
| Your phone carrier | Immediate blocking, filtering, and spam labeling | Often the quickest practical step, but a carrier doesn't decide whether a call violated federal law |
| A qualified consumer lawyer or legal-aid service | A possible private claim under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act or state law | This is a separate process that depends on consent, call type, caller identity, and evidence |
You can use more than one route. Report a suspected scam to the FTC, report the telecom issue to the FCC, and ask your carrier to block similar calls.
What to record before filing
A useful complaint lets an investigator understand the call without guessing. For each call, or each group of related calls, save:
- Date, approximate time, and your time zone
- The number that received the call
- The number displayed on caller ID
- Any callback number or website mentioned in the message
- Whether the call reached your mobile phone, home phone, or voicemail
- Whether you heard a prerecorded or artificial voice, a live person, or silence
- A transcript or close summary of the message
- The company or agency the caller claimed to represent
- What the caller wanted, such as a payment, personal information, or a keypress
- Whether you gave consent and, if so, how
- The date and wording of any request to stop calling
- The number of calls and the dates of later attempts
Take screenshots of your call log and save the original voicemail file. Keep emails, text messages, account records, and any written do-not-call request. If you answer a suspicious call, don't press a key or call back just to gather more evidence.
Live-call recording laws differ by state. Saving a voicemail you received is different from secretly recording a conversation, so don't assume that recording a live call is permitted everywhere.
Don't put your full Social Security number, bank password, payment-card security code, or other unnecessary sensitive information in a complaint. Redact it from screenshots where you can.
National Do Not Call registration: what it does and doesn't prove
Registering your number helps identify unwanted telemarketing. It isn't a shield against every unwanted call. Scam callers may ignore the registry, and some types of calls follow different rules.
If you haven't registered your number, use DoNotCall.gov. The FTC says you can register up to three numbers at one time. After you submit a number, open the confirmation email and click its link within 72 hours. Save that confirmation.
When you report a call, keep these facts separate:
- Whether your number was registered on the National Do Not Call Registry
- Whether you gave the caller permission to contact you
- Whether you later withdrew permission
- Whether you told a particular company not to call again
- Whether the call was a sales pitch, a suspected scam, a political message, a survey, or something else
If you never completed the registration confirmation, don't describe the number as registered. If you aren't sure who called, say so. Caller ID can be spoofed, so the displayed number may not identify the actual caller.
FCC robocall complaint template
The FCC's phone complaint guidance directs people reporting unwanted calls or texts to choose "unwanted calls/texts" as the phone issue and "all other unwanted calls/texts" as the sub-issue. If your own number is being spoofed, the FCC identifies "my own number is being spoofed" as a separate sub-issue.
Fill in the current form fields first. If the form provides a description box, this model can help:
I am reporting an unwanted [robocall/robotext] received on [date] at approximately [time and time zone] by [mobile/home] number ending in [last four digits].
The call displayed [caller ID number] and provided [callback number, if any]. The caller identified itself as [claimed company or agency]. The message was [prerecorded/artificial voice/live caller]. Approximate transcript: "[insert the words you heard]."
I [did not provide consent / provided consent on [date] for [specific purpose] / withdrew consent on [date]]. My number [was / was not] registered on the National Do Not Call Registry as of the call date. On [date], I told [company] not to call this number again, if applicable.
I received [number] related calls on [dates]. I have preserved [call-log screenshots, voicemail, text messages, account records, or other evidence]. I cannot verify that the displayed caller ID belongs to the actual caller because it may have been spoofed.
Please record this report and use it with other complaints or traceback information as appropriate. I understand that an FCC complaint may not result in an individual response or payment.
Don't state that a number was "definitely" the caller unless you have evidence beyond caller ID. A careful description is more useful than an accusation based on a possibly spoofed number.
FTC and Do Not Call complaint example
Use a separate report for suspected illegal telemarketing or a scam. Include the registry confirmation date if your number was registered and confirmed.
I am reporting a suspected illegal telemarketing or scam call to [phone number] on [date] at [time and time zone].
My number was registered on the National Do Not Call Registry and the registration was confirmed on [date], if applicable. The caller ID showed [number]. The caller claimed to represent [company, government office, or unknown organization] and said: "[insert the exact or approximate message]."
The call was [a sales offer / a request for payment / an impersonation attempt / another purpose]. I [did not provide consent / do not recognize giving consent]. I [did not share information or money / shared the following limited information: [describe without including account numbers or passwords]].
I received [number] similar calls on [dates]. I have preserved [voicemail, screenshots, messages, and other records]. I am reporting this information so it can be compared with other reports and used to identify the caller or calling pattern.
If the call involved a suspected government, bank, delivery, or account impersonation, don't use the number supplied by the caller to verify the story. Contact the organization through a phone number or website you already know is genuine.
Three robocall complaint examples
These examples show how to turn a vague complaint into a useful one. They are illustrative; use your own facts.
1. Repeated prerecorded sales calls
Weak description: "They keep calling me about a discount. Make them stop."
Stronger description:
I received four calls to my mobile number on [dates] between [times]. Each call played a prerecorded sales message offering a lower utility bill. I did not provide consent to this caller, and the message did not identify a clear company name or a reliable way to opt out. The caller ID showed [number], and the voicemail gave [callback number]. I saved screenshots and the voicemail.
This wording identifies the call type, frequency, consent issue, message, and evidence without claiming facts you can't prove.
2. Suspected account or government impersonation
Illustrative transcript: "Your account has been flagged. Press 1 to speak with an agent."
Complaint wording:
On [date] at [time], I received a prerecorded call claiming that my [bank, tax, delivery, or other] account had a problem. The message told me to press 1. I did not press a key or provide information. Caller ID displayed [number], but I cannot verify that it belongs to the organization named in the message. The voicemail is saved, and the call log is attached or available.
Avoid identifying the call as an official government communication unless you verified it independently. "Claimed to represent" is more accurate.
3. Calls after a do-not-call request
I spoke with a representative of [company] on [date] and clearly asked that this number not be called again. I received [number] further calls on [dates]. The calls were [prerecorded/live], displayed [number], and concerned [purpose]. I have the original call logs and a written record of my request. I am reporting the continued calls and asking that the pattern be reviewed.
A company-specific do-not-call request is different from National Do Not Call registration. Include both facts separately if both apply.
How to describe a possible TCPA issue
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act and related FCC rules can restrict certain autodialed or prerecorded calls, especially calls to wireless numbers when the required consent is missing. The legal analysis can depend on the call's purpose, the number type, the technology used, consent, and other facts. The FDIC's TCPA overview summarizes some of the applicable restrictions. That overview is not a determination that your call was unlawful.
A complaint doesn't need to prove the caller's software. State what you observed:
- Say "I heard a prerecorded message" if that is what happened.
- Say "I did not provide prior express consent to this caller, to my knowledge" if you are certain enough to make that statement.
- Describe when and how you withdrew consent.
- Identify whether the call was a sales pitch or another type of message.
- Mention the number displayed, but acknowledge possible spoofing.
- Use "I believe this may violate" rather than treating a technical legal conclusion as an established fact.
Not every unwanted robocall falls under the same rule. Don't label a call a Do Not Call violation unless you can support the registration and telemarketing facts. Don't describe a caller as an autodialer merely because the call was automated; that technical issue may require additional evidence.
What not to put in a complaint
Avoid claims that can weaken an otherwise useful report:
- "The FCC owes me $50,000."
- "The caller ID proves which company made the call."
- "Every robocall is illegal."
- "I know the caller used a particular autodialer."
- "This was a DNC violation," when you haven't checked the registry or the call's purpose.
- A transcript that you reconstructed from memory but present as an exact quote
- Unnecessary passwords, Social Security numbers, or full payment details
Federal agencies decide whether to investigate and what remedies may be available. An agency penalty isn't automatically paid to the person who filed a report. A possible private TCPA claim is also separate from an FCC or FTC complaint and may require evidence that an attorney can evaluate.
What to do after submitting
- Save the FCC or FTC confirmation number, receipt, or screenshot.
- Keep adding new calls to the same timeline, including calls from different displayed numbers that use the same message.
- Ask your carrier about call blocking and spam-labeling options.
- If a legitimate business continues calling, send a written do-not-call request through a channel that preserves the date and wording.
- Send the same organized evidence packet to your state attorney general if the pattern appears to affect other people or involves a business operating in your state.
- If you gave a caller money or financial information, contact your bank, card issuer, or payment provider through its official website or statement, not through the robocall's callback number.
- Consider legal advice only after preserving the call records, consent history, and opt-out requests.
The FTC's guide to blocking unwanted calls covers call-blocking apps, carrier tools, and call labeling. Blocking can cut down interruptions. It doesn't determine whether a call was unlawful, and it may not stop a scammer who changes numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Are these actual FCC complaint letters?
No. The FCC generally uses an online complaint form rather than a single required letter. The wording here is designed to fit the facts and categories the FCC asks consumers to provide.
Will the FCC fine the caller or pay me?
Not automatically. The FCC says it doesn't resolve individual unwanted-call complaints. Your report may contribute to enforcement or policy work, but it doesn't guarantee a fine, refund, settlement, or personal response.
Should I report a call if I don't know who made it?
Yes. Give the caller ID, callback number, claimed identity, message, date, and evidence. Make clear that you can't verify the identity because caller ID may have been spoofed.
Does National Do Not Call registration stop scam calls?
No. It can help with illegal telemarketing reports, but fraudulent callers may ignore the registry and other calls may be treated differently. Keep reporting suspicious patterns and use blocking tools.
Do I need a recording?
No. A call-log screenshot, voicemail, transcript, and detailed timeline can still help. Preserve a recording if you already have a voicemail, but don't secretly record a live conversation without checking the law that applies where you are.
Open the FCC form, choose "unwanted calls/texts," and paste a description tied to one accurate timeline. Save the confirmation number with your screenshots and voicemail before the next call arrives.