For U.S. consumers, the right reporting route depends on what happened:

A complaint can help agencies identify patterns and support enforcement, but it doesn't guarantee that the caller will be identified, that the calls will stop, that you'll get an individual response, or that you'll recover money.

Robocall complaint checklist

You don't have to wait 31 days to report an obvious scam, suspected spoofing, or another potentially illegal call. That period mainly matters when you are evaluating a covered sales call to a number on the National Do Not Call Registry.

What the Do Not Call Registry does and does not do

Registering at the National Do Not Call Registry can reduce covered telemarketing calls. To complete registration, open the email for each phone number and click its confirmation link within 72 hours. Covered telemarketers generally have 31 days to update their lists.

The registry isn't a universal robocall filter. It won't remove your number from every scammer's list, and it doesn't make every automated call unlawful. Political, charitable, survey, debt-related, and informational calls can involve different requirements. A business may also claim that you gave it permission to call, so the scope of any consent matters.

A prerecorded sales call to a mobile number can raise separate questions under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA. Registration can help document your position, but it isn't by itself proof of a TCPA violation.

Step 1: Protect yourself before responding

Treat an unexpected robocall as unverified, even when caller ID shows a familiar business or government agency. Caller ID can be spoofed, and the displayed number may belong to an unrelated person or organization.

If you answer and hear a recording:

  1. Hang up without pressing a number.
  2. Don't call the displayed number back.
  3. Don't confirm your name, address, account number, password, or one-time code.
  4. If you need to check a claimed account problem, use the company's official website or the number on a statement.
  5. Save the call details before deleting the voicemail.

The FTC's guide to blocking unwanted calls covers options for mobile phones, internet-based home phones, and traditional landlines. Blocking can reduce future calls, but it doesn't replace reporting or evidence preservation. If you use a third-party blocking app, review its permissions and privacy terms before allowing access to contacts or call data.

Step 2: Document each call

Create one record for every call, including calls that arrive from different numbers but use the same script. A regulator or lawyer may need more than a screenshot of caller ID.

Evidence What to record
Timing Date, exact time, time zone, duration, and whether the call was repeated
Numbers Your receiving number, the caller ID display, and any callback number stated in the message
Caller Claimed company, agency, person, product, account, or charity
Message Whether it was live, prerecorded, or transferred to an agent; preserve the wording as closely as possible
Consent Whether you gave the business permission to contact you and where that permission may have been given
Opt-out request Date, method, and wording of any request that the business stop calling
Pattern Similar calls, changing numbers, fake local numbers, or repeated messages
Loss Transaction records, payment instructions, emails, websites, and account details if money or information was involved

Keep the original voicemail or audio file, not just a transcript. Back up files and avoid editing them. Screenshots should show enough date and time information to connect them to your log.

Recording a live call can create a separate legal issue. State laws differ, especially when the caller and recipient are in different states. Don't secretly record a conversation unless you've checked the rules that apply to the people on the call. If you're unsure, preserve the voicemail, call log, screenshots, and contemporaneous written notes instead.

Step 3: File an FCC robocall complaint

Use the FCC complaint system for unwanted calls or texts, suspected spoofing, and related phone-service problems. The FCC's instructions say to select:

If someone is spoofing your own number, select my own number is being spoofed.

Include:

Describe what you know without guessing who owns a spoofed number. For example:

Caller ID displayed 555-0100. I suspect spoofing because the number changes and the same recording repeats.

That is more useful than accusing the owner of the displayed number without evidence.

The FCC states that it does not resolve individual unwanted-call or text complaints. Your report can still provide information for enforcement, policy decisions, and efforts to reduce unwanted traffic. Save the confirmation page or number, but don't assume the FCC will investigate your individual call or contact you with a result.

Step 4: Report fraud, telemarketing, or a Do Not Call violation to the FTC

Use ReportFraud.ftc.gov when the call involves:

Choose the closest unwanted-call, telemarketing, or fraud category available in the form. Give the FTC the same timeline you gave the FCC. State whether your number had been registered for at least 31 days, whether you had a relationship with the business, and whether you had previously told that business to stop.

The FTC uses reports to identify patterns and support enforcement. A report isn't a refund request, a private lawsuit, or a promise that the FTC will respond to you individually. Don't include passwords, full payment-card numbers, or one-time security codes in the complaint narrative.

For background on telemarketing obligations and exceptions, see the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule guidance.

Step 5: Ask your carrier to block or label the calls

Contact your carrier through its official app, website, or customer-service number. Ask whether your plan supports:

Give the carrier the numbers and dates from your log. Ask whether it wants copies of voicemails or recordings. Blocking tools vary by provider and device, and some may block legitimate calls. Review the settings periodically so you don't miss a medical office, delivery service, school, or other expected call.

Report the calls to the FCC or FTC even after your carrier blocks them. Blocking protects your phone; it doesn't create a regulatory record.

Step 6: Handle scams, financial losses, and spoofing

If the caller persuaded you to send money or disclose account information, address the payment problem before waiting for an agency response. Contact your bank, card issuer, wire service, or payment app through an official number from its website, app, or statement. Ask whether the transaction can be stopped, recalled, or disputed, and keep the transaction ID.

Then report the incident to the FTC. When the scam involved online activity, account access, cryptocurrency, or another cyber-enabled element, file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. IC3 says it cannot respond directly to every submission, so don't wait for an IC3 reply before contacting your financial provider.

For suspected spoofing, report the number exactly as it appeared and identify it as suspected spoofing. Note whether the caller used a local area code, changed numbers, impersonated a legitimate organization, or repeated the same message. Those details show the pattern even when they don't identify the person behind the call.

Step 7: Consider your state attorney general or a private legal claim

A state attorney general's consumer division may be an additional option when:

Use your state's official attorney general website. State definitions, exemptions, filing procedures, and deadlines vary, so don't assume that a rule from another state applies to your calls.

The TCPA is separate from the National Do Not Call Registry. It can apply to some autodialed, prerecorded, or telemarketing calls, but the outcome depends on facts such as:

Frequently quoted TCPA damage figures aren't an automatic payment for every unwanted call. A private claim may require evidence of the caller, the calls, the absence or withdrawal of consent, and other facts. An FCC or FTC complaint doesn't file a lawsuit for you, and the number of calls alone doesn't guarantee a claim or a particular result.

If you're considering legal action, preserve your records and speak with a licensed attorney or qualified legal-aid service in the state where the calls were received. This is general consumer information, not legal advice.

How to write a clear complaint

A short factual timeline is more useful than a long description of how disruptive the calls were. You can adapt this format:

On [date] at [time and time zone], I received a [live/prerecorded] call on [your number]. Caller ID displayed [number], and the message gave [callback number, if any]. The caller claimed to represent [company or organization] and said [short description or exact wording]. I [did/did not] give this company permission to call. My number was registered with the National Do Not Call Registry on [date, if applicable]. I asked the company to stop on [date and method, if applicable]. This was one of [number] similar calls between [dates]. I suspect [spoofing, fraud, or unwanted telemarketing] because [specific facts].

Don't exaggerate the number of calls or identify an unrelated number owner as the scammer. If the form permits attachments, provide relevant, redacted evidence. Otherwise, keep the original files in case an agency, carrier, or lawyer asks for them.

Mistakes that weaken a robocall report

Frequently asked questions

Does registering with Do Not Call stop robocalls?

No. It can reduce covered telemarketing calls, but it doesn't stop every scam or automated message. Complete the email confirmation within 72 hours and allow covered businesses 31 days to update their lists.

Should I file with the FCC, the FTC, or both?

Use the FCC for unwanted calls, texts, spoofing, and phone-service issues. Use the FTC for fraud, deceptive telemarketing, and Do Not Call concerns. If a call fits both categories, filing with both agencies is reasonable.

What should I do if the caller ID was spoofed?

Report the number as displayed, explain why you suspect spoofing, and don't accuse the number's owner without evidence. Include the message, callback number, timing, and any repeated pattern.

Will an FCC or FTC complaint get me money?

Treat the complaint as a report to regulators, not as a compensation application. It doesn't guarantee a refund, damages, or an individual response.

Can I sue for robocalls?

Possibly, but a TCPA or state-law claim depends on the call, consent, technology, caller, exemptions, evidence, and deadlines. Keep a complete log and obtain advice from a qualified professional in your state before relying on a damages estimate.

Save the next voicemail, write down the exact time and caller ID, and use the reporting route that matches the conduct. If money or account access is involved, contact the payment provider first through an official channel.