The Federal Trade Commission released data showing that unwanted calls remain significantly below their 2021 peak levels, despite an increase in complaints during fiscal year 2025. The agency's annual Do Not Call Registry Data Book reveals that consumer complaints about unwanted calls are still approximately 48% lower than in fiscal year 2021, when the FTC received roughly five million reports.
The National Do Not Call Registry continued to grow in fiscal year 2025, adding more than 4.7 million phone numbers to reach a total of approximately 258.5 million active registrations as of Sept. 30, 2025. This represents a 1.9% increase over fiscal year 2024 and nearly 6% growth since fiscal year 2021.
The registry allows consumers to add their phone numbers and opt out of most legal telemarketing calls. However, robocalls involving prerecorded messages continued to make up the majority of Do Not Call violation complaints reported to the FTC.
The annual data book provides comprehensive information on both robocall and live-caller complaints, including detailed analysis of the topics consumers report most frequently. Consistent with previous years, calls about debt reduction, imposters, and medical and prescription issues remained among the most commonly reported complaint categories in fiscal year 2025.
State-by-state analysis reveals significant regional variations in both registry participation and complaint rates. New Hampshire maintained its position as the state with the highest rate of active Do Not Call registrations per 100,000 people, followed by Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Kansas.
However, complaint rates tell a different story. Arizona led the nation with 1,028 Do Not Call complaints per 100,000 people in fiscal year 2025. Tennessee followed closely with 1,017 complaints per 100,000 people, while Nevada ranked third with 960 complaints per 100,000 people. Illinois and Florida rounded out the top five states with 943 and 933 complaints per 100,000 people, respectively.
The disparity between registration rates and complaint rates suggests that consumer awareness and participation in the Do Not Call Registry varies significantly across different regions, while unwanted calling activity may be more concentrated in certain states.
The FTC's data collection efforts extend beyond simple complaint tallies. The agency provides detailed breakdowns of violation types, helping consumers and policymakers understand the evolving landscape of unwanted telecommunications. The underlying data from the report is publicly available through the FTC's data portal, allowing researchers and advocacy groups to conduct their own analysis.
For consumers seeking protection from unwanted calls, the FTC maintains free registration services at DoNotCall.gov. The website also provides information about company-specific Do Not Call requests and caller identification requirements that businesses must follow under federal law.
The agency encourages consumers to report unwanted telemarketing calls through its online complaint system at DoNotCall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222. These complaints serve multiple purposes beyond individual consumer protection, as the FTC shares registration data, complaint information, and telemarketer access records with law enforcement agencies through the Consumer Sentinel Network.
Despite the overall decline in unwanted calls since 2021, the persistence of robocall complaints indicates that automated calling systems remain a primary concern for consumers. The modest growth in registry participation suggests that consumer awareness of available protections continues to expand, though the effectiveness of these protections varies across different regions and calling practices.
The FTC's annual reporting provides important insights into the telecommunications landscape and helps inform both consumer education efforts and potential regulatory responses. As unwanted calling technology continues to evolve, the agency's data collection and analysis play a crucial role in understanding trends and developing effective enforcement strategies.
Consumers can access comprehensive information about the Do Not Call Registry, including registration procedures and complaint filing instructions, through the FTC's website. The agency emphasizes that while the registry provides significant protection against legal telemarketing calls, it does not eliminate all unwanted calls, particularly those from illegal operations that routinely ignore Do Not Call requirements.