Most spam-call problems need two separate actions: report what happened and reduce the calls reaching you. For a U.S. phone number, start here:

What happened Best route What it does
The caller impersonated an agency, business, or relative, or asked for money or sensitive information FTC fraud-reporting form Adds the report to the FTC's enforcement data. Contact your bank or payment provider separately if you paid.
You received an unwanted sales call National Do Not Call Registry Reports covered telemarketing and manages registry registration. It does not cover every unwanted call.
You received a robocall, prerecorded message, or suspected spoofed call FCC unwanted-calls complaint process Gives the FCC information for policy work and possible enforcement. It generally won't resolve your individual complaint.
You want fewer calls now Your carrier's spam controls and your phone's blocking settings Filters or blocks calls, although wanted calls can sometimes be mislabeled.
You can identify the company behind the calls A written company-specific do-not-call request Creates a record of your request. Save it and log any calls that follow.

Don't send a complaint to a guessed government email address. Use the agency's current form or a verified company channel. The FTC's robocall guidance explains the difference between legal and illegal robocalls and why caller ID isn't proof of the caller's identity.

These instructions are for U.S. consumers. State complaint procedures and any private legal claim can vary.

Gather the details first

A factual timeline is more useful than a long description of how frustrating the calls are. Before submitting a report, save:

Record the displayed number as "caller ID shown." Spoofing can make it appear that a call came from a business, a government office, or an unrelated person's number.

Don't include passwords, one-time codes, your full Social Security number, or complete bank or card details. Keep original recordings and screenshots somewhere safe. Recording-consent laws differ by state, so check the rules that apply before recording a call.

Copy-ready spam-call templates

Replace the bracketed text and remove lines that don't apply. Describe what you know rather than declaring that a call was illegal.

1. FTC report for a suspected phone scam

Paste this into the FTC fraud-reporting form when the caller sought money or sensitive information, impersonated someone, or used a suspected scam.

Summary: Suspected phone scam involving [COMPANY, AGENCY, OR PERSON]

I received a call on [YOUR PHONE NUMBER] on [DATE] at [TIME] [TIME ZONE]. The caller ID showed [NUMBER SHOWN]. The caller said [BRIEF, FACTUAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CLAIM].

The caller asked me to [SEND MONEY, SHARE INFORMATION, INSTALL SOFTWARE, CALL A NUMBER, OR TAKE ANOTHER ACTION]. I [DID/DID NOT] follow those instructions. If applicable, I [PAID/DISCLOSED] [AMOUNT OR TYPE OF INFORMATION] using [PAYMENT METHOD].

The caller provided [CALLBACK NUMBER, WEBSITE, EMAIL ADDRESS, OR OTHER DETAIL]. I have kept [VOICEMAIL, SCREENSHOT, RECEIPT, RECORDING, OR CALL LOG] as evidence.

I am reporting this as a suspected scam and providing the details for review and enforcement. Please let me know through the official reporting process if additional information is needed.

Name: [YOUR NAME]
Safe contact method: [EMAIL OR PHONE, IF YOU CHOOSE TO PROVIDE IT]

An FTC report isn't a request for a personal refund. If you sent money or shared financial credentials, contact the bank, card issuer, or payment service through a verified channel immediately.

2. Do Not Call report for an unwanted sales call

Use this information at DoNotCall.gov for a covered telemarketing call. The FTC's National Do Not Call Registry FAQ explains registration and its limits.

Summary: Unwanted telemarketing call to [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

My number [IS/IS NOT/UNKNOWN] registered on the National Do Not Call Registry. If known, I registered it on [DATE]. I received a telemarketing call on [DATE] at [TIME] [TIME ZONE].

Number shown on caller ID: [NUMBER]
Company or caller name: [NAME, IF KNOWN]
Product or service offered: [DESCRIPTION]
Call type: [PRERECORDED, AUTOMATED, OR LIVE]
Did I give the company permission to call?: [YES, NO, OR UNKNOWN]
Did I previously ask this company to stop?: [YES, NO, OR UNKNOWN]

The caller said [BRIEF, FACTUAL DESCRIPTION]. I am submitting this report with my call log and any available voicemail or screenshot.

If you registered recently, follow the FTC's confirmation instructions. Online registration requires you to open the confirmation email and click its link within 72 hours. You can register up to three numbers online at a time.

3. FCC complaint for a robocall or suspected spoofing

The FCC's current complaint process directs consumers to choose unwanted calls/texts as the phone issue and all other unwanted calls/messages as the sub-issue for a typical unwanted-call complaint. If someone is spoofing your own number, select my own number is being spoofed instead.

Summary: Unwanted robocall to [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

I received [NUMBER OF] unwanted call(s) on [DATES] at [TIMES] [TIME ZONE]. The caller ID showed [NUMBER SHOWN]. The caller also asked me to call [CALLBACK NUMBER, IF ANY].

The call was [PRERECORDED, AUTOMATED, OR LIVE]. It said [QUOTE OR SUMMARIZE THE MESSAGE]. The caller claimed to represent [COMPANY OR AGENCY, IF KNOWN] and requested [ACTION OR INFORMATION].

My number [IS/IS NOT/UNKNOWN] on the National Do Not Call Registry. I [DID/DID NOT] give this caller or company permission to contact me. I previously asked [COMPANY] to stop calling on [DATE], if applicable.

I am reporting the displayed caller ID and any callback number separately because either number may have been spoofed. I have retained my call log, voicemail, and screenshots.

The FCC says it doesn't resolve individual unwanted-call complaints. Your report can still contribute to policy decisions and potential enforcement, but filing it won't by itself block the next call.

4. Email to your phone carrier

Use a carrier website, app, bill, or customer-service channel that you found independently. Never rely on contact information supplied by a suspicious caller.

Subject: Request to block and label repeated spam calls on [PHONE NUMBER]

Hello,

Please help me turn on the strongest available spam-call filtering and caller-labeling options for [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]. I understand that filtering may send wanted calls to voicemail. Please also tell me how to review blocked calls and change the settings.

Recent examples include:

  • [DATE, TIME, NUMBER SHOWN, AND SHORT DESCRIPTION]
  • [DATE, TIME, NUMBER SHOWN, AND SHORT DESCRIPTION]
  • [DATE, TIME, NUMBER SHOWN, AND SHORT DESCRIPTION]

Please confirm which controls are available, whether any option has a charge, and whether you can investigate or report these numbers. My account reference is [REFERENCE, IF SAFE TO INCLUDE].

Thank you,
[YOUR NAME]

Leave out your password, security answers, and full payment details. A carrier may not be able to identify a spoofed caller, but it can explain the blocking and labeling tools available on your line.

5. Written do-not-call request to an identifiable business

Use this only after verifying the company's contact details through its official website, app, account statement, or another independent source. A company-specific request is separate from registration with the national list.

Subject: Written request to stop marketing calls to [PHONE NUMBER]

Hello,

Please place [YOUR PHONE NUMBER] on your company-specific do-not-call list and stop telemarketing calls from [COMPANY] and its authorized marketing vendors, where applicable. Please also stop marketing text messages to this number if they are covered by your marketing records.

I revoke any marketing permission I may have given to your company, where applicable. This request does not ask you to cancel my account or stop nonmarketing service notices unless I separately request that.

Recent calls include:

  • [DATE, TIME, NUMBER SHOWN, AND DESCRIPTION]
  • [DATE, TIME, NUMBER SHOWN, AND DESCRIPTION]

Please confirm that you received this request and identify the company or seller responsible for these calls. Keep this phone number attached to the request:

[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]

Save the sent message, delivery record, and response. If another call arrives, add it to your log instead of arguing with the caller.

6. Follow-up with a carrier or business

Send this after another call occurs or when you need to check the status of an earlier request. If a regulator supplied a reference number, use its official portal or update process rather than an unverified email address.

Subject: Follow-up on spam-call request [TICKET OR REFERENCE NUMBER]

Hello,

On [DATE], I asked [CARRIER OR COMPANY] to [BLOCK THE CALLS, ENABLE FILTERING, OR STOP TELEMARKETING] to [PHONE NUMBER]. Since then, I have received these additional calls:

  • [DATE, TIME, NUMBER SHOWN, AND DESCRIPTION]
  • [DATE, TIME, NUMBER SHOWN, AND DESCRIPTION]

Please confirm receipt of my original request and explain what action has been taken. If a vendor made the calls, please record this complaint against the responsible campaign or account.

Thank you,
[YOUR NAME]
[SAFE CONTACT INFORMATION]

7. Complaint to a state consumer-protection office

State agencies use different forms and contact methods. Find the appropriate route through your state's official website or the USA.gov guide to telemarketer and scam-call complaints.

Subject: Complaint about repeated unwanted calls from [COMPANY OR CALLER]

Hello,

I am a resident of [STATE] and want to report repeated unwanted calls connected with [COMPANY OR CALLER, IF KNOWN].

My number: [PHONE NUMBER]
Dates and times: [LIST WITH TIME ZONE]
Number shown: [CALLER ID NUMBER]
Offer or message: [FACTUAL DESCRIPTION]
Prerecorded or live: [DETAILS]
Do Not Call registration date: [DATE, IF KNOWN]
My prior stop request: [DATE AND METHOD, IF ANY]

I have kept a call log and copies of [VOICEMAILS, SCREENSHOTS, OR EMAILS]. Please tell me whether your office has a complaint process for this conduct and what additional information you need.

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[CITY AND STATE]
[SAFE CONTACT INFORMATION]

8. Notice to a business whose number may have been spoofed

This can alert a business that scammers may be displaying its number. It doesn't replace an FCC complaint, and you should find the business's contact details independently.

Subject: Possible spoofing of your phone number in a scam call

Hello,

I received a call on [DATE] at [TIME] [TIME ZONE]. My caller ID displayed [NUMBER ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR BUSINESS]. The caller claimed to represent [CLAIMED COMPANY OR AGENCY] and asked me to [DESCRIBE REQUEST].

I understand that caller ID may have been spoofed, so I am not asserting that your company made the call. I wanted to share these details with your fraud or security team.

The call also involved [CALLBACK NUMBER, WEBSITE, VOICEMAIL, OR OTHER DETAIL]. I did not [SHARE INFORMATION, SEND MONEY, OR CALL BACK], if applicable.

Please confirm whether your number has been reported for spoofing and whether you have a preferred reporting channel.

Thank you,
[YOUR NAME]

Before you submit

A few choices can determine whether the report is easy to evaluate:

  1. Use the matching category. A scam report, a Do Not Call report, an FCC complaint, and a blocking request have different purposes.
  2. Separate observation from conclusion. Say "the caller claimed to be from my bank" instead of "my bank called illegally" when the caller's identity is unverified.
  3. Keep numbers distinct. List the caller-ID number, callback number, and any number in a voicemail separately.
  4. Add the time zone. This removes an avoidable gap from the timeline.
  5. Describe consent honestly. Include an existing account, a prior relationship, a prior stop request, or uncertainty when any of those apply.
  6. Keep the record going. Add later calls to the original ticket or report when the official system allows updates.
  7. Send only necessary information. A regulator or carrier doesn't need your password or one-time verification code.
  8. Verify every destination. Use a regulator's official domain or a company's independently verified support channel.

What the National Do Not Call Registry does not cover

The national registry is designed to reduce covered sales calls. It doesn't block every unwanted call, and registration doesn't make every call to a registered number unlawful.

Political campaigns, charities, surveys, debt collectors, informational messages, businesses with which you have a relationship, and businesses to which you gave permission may be treated differently depending on the circumstances. A company-specific do-not-call request can still be useful even when the national registry doesn't cover the call.

The FTC uses complaint data and calling patterns to identify illegal callers. Registration and reporting support enforcement work, but neither is a call-blocking service. For immediate relief, turn on your carrier's tools and your phone's built-in blocking options.

Is a $1,500 payment automatic for each call?

No. The often-quoted $1,500 figure isn't a guaranteed payment for filing a complaint.

Some private claims under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA, involve statutory damages commonly described as $500 per violation, with possible trebling to $1,500 for willful or knowing conduct. Whether the TCPA applies depends on facts such as the type of call, consent, the technology used, the number reached, the caller's identity, and the available evidence. The law has also changed through recent court decisions. The National Consumer Law Center's TCPA overview discusses that changing legal environment.

A regulator won't automatically award money, and a demand email doesn't establish liability. Don't send a payment demand to a random number that could belong to an unrelated person. If you can identify the business and are considering a private claim, preserve the records and speak with a qualified attorney or legal-aid service before making legal threats.

After you report

Frequently asked questions

Can I email the FTC or FCC about a spam call?

Use the official online routes rather than an old email address copied from a template. The FTC accepts scam and unwanted-call reports through its reporting sites, and the FCC's complaint process asks consumers to select the appropriate unwanted-calls category. The templates above can be pasted into a description field.

Will registering my number stop robocalls?

No. Registration can reduce covered telemarketing calls, but scammers, spoofed calls, and other categories may fall outside the registry. Use blocking tools for immediate control and report suspicious activity so agencies can analyze the pattern.

Should I call the number back?

Usually not. A callback can confirm that your number is active, and the displayed number may belong to an unrelated person because of spoofing. Save the number exactly as shown and report it through the appropriate route.

What evidence should I attach?

Start with a dated call log, caller-ID screenshots, voicemails, transcripts, and any message or website the caller supplied. Upload files only through an official portal or verified company channel. Remove unnecessary sensitive information first.

Can a complaint get me a refund?

A complaint may help an agency identify a pattern or support enforcement, but it isn't a refund request and doesn't guarantee individual action. If you paid a scammer, contact the payment provider separately and promptly.

Next step: Log the next call with its time zone, displayed number, message, and any callback number. Then use the FTC, Do Not Call, FCC, carrier, business, or state channel that fits what happened.