An unwanted sales call needs a record, not a detective project. Save the details, file through the matching U.S. channel, and block the number.
Use DoNotCall.gov for unwanted telemarketing. For a suspected scam, use the FTC's report fraud service. Robocalls, robotexts, spoofed caller ID, and junk faxes belong at the FCC complaint center. You can report a call even if you never joined the Registry.
Blocking reduces interruptions right away. The FTC also studies report data and calling patterns, so the details you save can help show a larger pattern.
These instructions cover U.S. calls. Other countries use different registries and deadlines.
Choose the complaint route that fits
Match the route to what happened, not just the number on your screen. Caller ID can be false.
| Situation | Start here | Include these details |
|---|---|---|
| An unexpected company makes a sales call | DoNotCall.gov | Caller and company name, displayed number, date, time, and offer |
| The caller wants money, passwords, account details, or gift cards | FTC report fraud | What the caller claimed, what they requested, and any payment information you shared |
| You receive a prerecorded call, autodialed call, robotext, spoofed caller ID, or junk fax | FCC complaint center | Whether it reached a mobile or landline, whether it was prerecorded, and whether you gave consent |
| One identifiable business keeps calling | The business in writing, then your state consumer protection office | Your do-not-call request, dates, confirmations, and call history |
A single incident can fit more than one row. A scam robocall can go to both the FTC and FCC.
Gather evidence before you report
Build the record before deleting a voicemail or clearing your call history. A plain timeline gives the complaint something concrete to work with.
- Write down the displayed number, date, time, time zone, and number of calls.
- Mark the contact as a live call, prerecorded message, automated call, or text.
- Save the voicemail, text, screenshot, or script, and note the company or agency the caller claimed to represent.
- Record what the caller wanted, whether you had a relationship with the business, and whether you had already asked it to stop.
Odd details can matter: a rushed deadline, a strange payment request, or the exact name the caller used. Keep them. Turns out, a local-looking number proves very little. Caller ID can be spoofed, so don't call back to test it or blame the person who happens to own the number.
You don't need to make your own recording. Recording laws vary by state, and preserving a voicemail may be safer.
Register your number, but do not wait to report
Registry registration isn't a prerequisite for a complaint. If the call is already suspicious, report it first.
To register, use the FTC's National Do Not Call Registry FAQ or go directly to DoNotCall.gov. The online form accepts up to three phone numbers at a time. Open the email for each number and click its confirmation link within 72 hours. You can also register by calling 1-888-382-1222.
The Registry is free. The FTC says registration can take up to 31 days to take effect, so note the date you signed up.
The Registry mainly concerns sales calls. Political calls, charitable solicitations, surveys, and some contacts based on an existing relationship or permission can follow different rules. Scammers may ignore the Registry entirely.
Submit the complaint
Save your evidence first. Then use the channel that describes the conduct.
- Report an unwanted sales call at DoNotCall.gov. Include the caller's name, business, displayed number, arrival time, and offer. If spoofing seems likely, say so instead of treating the displayed number as proof of the caller's identity.
- Send suspected fraud to the FTC. Use ReportFraud.ftc.gov if the caller impersonates a government agency, bank, delivery company, relative, or technical-support service. Leave out a full Social Security number, password, or bank account number.
- Send robocall and robotext information to the FCC. File through the FCC complaint center. The FCC's unwanted communications guidance covers unsolicited robocalls, robotexts, caller ID spoofing, and junk faxes. State whether the message was prerecorded and whether you had given permission.
- Keep a separate record for a known business. Send a written do-not-call request through an official contact method. If the calls continue, take that record to your state consumer protection office.
- Save the paperwork. Keep confirmation numbers, screenshots, copies of the complaint, and any response from the business.
- Check your carrier's reporting and blocking tools. They may reduce repeat interruptions while an agency reviews the complaint.
The FTC says it analyzes reports and trends to identify illegal callers through calling patterns. Exact times, displayed numbers, and repeat-call details are more useful than writing only that the call was annoying.
Know which rules apply
The Do Not Call Registry and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act are related, but they do different jobs. The Registry is mainly a telemarketing preference system, with different rules sometimes applying to political, charitable, survey, existing-relationship, or permission-based contacts.
The TCPA and FCC rules can restrict certain calls to mobile phones made with an autodialer, artificial voice, or prerecorded voice. Thing is, consent, the kind of number reached, the call's content, the caller's identity, and an emergency exception can all affect the analysis.
A company-specific do-not-call request is still useful evidence. Keep the date and method. A later call isn't automatically illegal just because you sent that request.
STIR/SHAKEN is a carrier system that authenticates some caller ID information. It may help providers assess whether a displayed number was authorized by the originating provider, but it doesn't prove the caller is honest. A name on a screen is not enough.
Reduce calls on your phone
Blocking is the fastest way to cut repeat interruptions. Turn on the call screening or blocking features your phone offers.
Carrier settings, fees, labels, and coverage vary. Verizon describes its robocall and call-blocking tools, but other providers use different menus. Open your carrier's official app or account instead of following a link from an unexpected caller.
Aggressive filtering can hide wanted calls from doctors, schools, delivery drivers, or local businesses. Check blocked-call and voicemail folders from time to time, and add trusted contacts when your phone allows it.
Don't press a number to reach an operator or remove yourself from a suspicious call. Hang up. To be honest, if someone claims to represent your bank or another organization, use the number on your card, statement, or official website.
What a complaint can achieve
A complaint is an enforcement lead. It isn't a guaranteed refund or personal investigation.
The FTC says it has sued hundreds of companies and people behind unwanted calls. It also works with other law enforcement agencies and encourages industry efforts against robocalls and caller ID spoofing.
The FTC says telemarketers responsible for illegal calls have paid more than $290 million in judgments. That figure describes enforcement results, not money promised to an individual person who reports a call.
A federal complaint and a private legal claim are separate paths. If a known business keeps calling after a clear request to stop, preserve your records and ask a licensed attorney in your state whether a TCPA or state-law claim may apply.
If the calls continue
Continued calls need their own paper trail. Keep each incident tied to its date, time, and displayed number.
Send a short written request: "Do not call this number again." Use an official business contact method, keep a copy, and don't use a link or phone number supplied by a suspicious caller.
If the caller is identifiable and ignores the request, file with your state attorney general or consumer protection office. A clear timeline is enough; unrelated messages only bury the useful facts.
Money or account access changes the next step. Contact the bank, card issuer, payment app, or other provider through its official channel, change compromised passwords, and report the fraud separately. A spam-call complaint alone will not usually reverse a payment.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to register with the Do Not Call Registry before reporting a call?
No. Registration isn't required for a complaint. It may help with future telemarketing reports, but it can take up to 31 days to take effect and doesn't cover every type of call.
Can I report a spoofed number?
Yes. Enter the number exactly as it appeared and explain that you suspect spoofing. Don't call it back or accuse the person who happens to have that number.
Will the FTC or FCC call me back?
A personal response isn't guaranteed. The agencies use complaints to find patterns, support investigations, and guide enforcement. Keep your own records, and use a separate business or state complaint when you need a direct response.
Do I need a recording?
No. A voicemail, screenshot, text, caller ID record, or written timeline can help. Recording a call may raise state-specific consent issues, so don't record casually.
What should I do after a scam call?
Stop communicating with the caller. Contact any affected financial provider through an official channel, then report the incident to the FTC. Send the details to the FCC as well if the call involved a robocall, robotext, or spoofed number.
For the next call, screenshot the number, note the date and time, file the matching complaint, then turn on your phone or carrier's filtering tools.