The FTC Declares a 50% Decrease in Spam Calls Over Recent Periods
The number of complaints about unwanted sales calls via phone in the U.S. has decreased significantly by 50% since 2021, as per the FTC's annual report on spam calls published recently. This decrease is attributed to Operation Stop Spam Calls, launched by the federal agency in 2023, among other initiatives.
The primary complaint regarding spam calls to the FTC in the past year was related to medical and prescription matters, with imposters coming in second, and debt reduction third. Other notable categories included energy, solar, and utilities, as well as home improvement and cleaning issues.
A significant portion of these spam complaints involved live callers, yet the majority were automated, or robocalls. The FTC received 1.1 million complaints about robocalls in the fiscal year 2024 (ending September 30), which is lower than the 1.2 million complaints in 2023 and the 3.4 million complaints in 2021.
Currently, over 253 million individuals are registered on the Do Not Call list. This number was 249 million in 2023, 246 million in 2022, and 244 million in 2021. American citizens can add their phone numbers to this list by visiting donotcall.gov or by dialing the toll-free number 888-382-1222. Remember to make the call from the phone you wish to register.
The new report provides interesting insights, such as the states with the highest percentage of individuals registered on the Do Not Call list. The top three states with the most registrations relative to their population are New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. On the other hand, Alaska has the fewest registrations, followed closely by Hawaii and Texas.
The state-level data related to Do Not Call list registrations can be found on the FTC's official website. There has indeed been progress in reducing some unwanted calls, but the FTC acknowledges that further action is required.
"Illegal calls remain a problem, but our strategy to target high-level players and prepare for emerging threats is showing promising results," stated Sam Levine, Director of the FTC's Consumer Protection Bureau. "In the upcoming years, it's crucial that we uphold this progress by targeting telemarketers and companies benefiting from scam calls."
The phrase "upcoming years" carries a sense of uncertainty after Donald Trump secured the presidential election on November 5. Given that the height of the spam robocall era was around the end of the 2010s when Trump was in office, it’s plausible that the individuals appointed to important agencies by Trump (like Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense and Matt Gaetz as Attorney General) may not prioritize consumer protection as vigilantly as Lina Khan, the current FTC head.
In summary, brace yourselves for potentially more robocalls in the near future.
The FTC's strategy to combat spam calls in the upcoming years involves targeting telemarketers and companies benefiting from scam calls, showing a commitment to maintaining progress in tech and technology-related issues. With advancements in tech, future solutions might include more robust call filtering and verification systems to reduce unwanted calls.
As we progress into the digital age, the role of technology in combating spam calls will become increasingly vital, ensuring a more secure and spam-free communication landscape for its users in the future.
