The fiscal year’s statistics reveal a five-year low in consumer complaints about robocalls and live telemarketing calls, with imposter calls topping the list and a remarkable decrease in overall complaints.
11/28/2023 8:00 A.M.
2.5 minute read
The Federal Trade Commission just released its National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry Data Book for Fiscal Year 2023 this month, revealing a decline in consumer complaints regarding robocalls and unwanted telemarketing calls.
The data book, now in its 15th year of publication, not only highlights the overall decrease in complaints but also sheds light on the prevalent types of calls bothering consumers.
Since its inception in 2003, the registry has continued to grow. As of Sept. 30, 2023, there were 249 million active registrations.
Major Findings
According to the data book, imposter calls once again took the lead, with more than 175,000 complaints registered during the fiscal year ending on Sept. 30, 2023. Among these, 117,000 were identified as robocalls. These imposter calls involved individuals falsely posing as representatives of government agencies like the Social Security Administration or the IRS, legitimate businesses, or individuals affiliated with them.
Additionally, over 2.6 million people signed up with the National DNC Registry, bringing the total to 249 million actively registered phone numbers, up from 246.8 million at the end of FY 2022. The overall number of complaints decreased by more than 900,000 from the previous fiscal year, indicating a positive trend in consumer satisfaction.
The noteworthy highlight in the data book is the continuous decline in robocall complaints for the second consecutive year. In FY 2023, the FTC received 1.2 million complaints about robocalls, a substantial decrease from the 1.8 million complaints in FY 2022. Robocalls made up the majority of consumer complaints about DNC violations throughout the fiscal year.
Apart from robocalls, the data book provides insights into the most commonly reported topics. Calls related to medical and prescription issues comprised the second-most reported topic, with over 142,000 complaints. Following closely were complaints about supposed debt reduction, energy, solar, and utilities, as well as warranties and protection plans.
The FTC also breaks down the data by state, revealing that New Hampshire continues to lead the nation in active DNC registrations per capita. The top five states reporting the most DNC complaints per 100,000 people in FY 2023 were Delaware, Ohio, Virginia, Nevada and Illinois.
Additionally, July 2023 marked a significant moment in the fight against illegal telemarketing calls with the announcement of “Operation Stop Scam Calls.” The FTC, along with more than 100 federal and state law enforcement partners, including attorneys general from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, initiated the largest crackdown on illegal telemarketing calls in U.S. history. This massive effort targeted telemarketers, companies hiring them, lead generators providing deceptive consumer information, and VoIP service providers facilitating illegal robocalls.
Consumers can register multiple phone numbers on the registry at donotcall.gov or by calling a toll‐free number (888‐382‐1222) from the telephone numbers they wish to register. Telemarketers and sellers must remove numbers added to the registry from their call lists at least every 31 days. Organizations can access the registry at telemarketing.donotcall.gov.
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