Why Am I Getting So Many Spam Calls?

The FTC's short answer: "often, it's scammers calling." Most spam calls come from scammers and illegal robocallers, and the rules that stop real companies don't stop them. They ignore the Do Not Call Registry, fake the number on your caller ID, and sometimes buy your number from a site that collected it. That's why the FTC calls call blocking your best defense.

Most spam calls come from scammers, not real companies

Scammers can call over the internet from anywhere in the world. A law that tells real companies not to call you doesn't stop someone who is already breaking the law.

The same goes for robocalls. A robocall trying to sell you something is illegal unless the company has your written permission to call you that way. So if a recorded voice is pitching you anyway, there's a good chance it's a scam.

Your number may have been sold after you filled in a form

Sometimes robocalls are random. Sometimes you handed over your number without knowing it would be sold. In one FTC case, people asked a website for mortgage refinance quotes. Instead of quotes, the company sold their names and numbers to telemarketers making illegal robocalls about auto warranties, solar panels and hearing aids.

Before you type your number into a quote or sign-up form:

• Research the site first. Search its name plus "complaint", "review" or "scam".
• Read the fine print. A checkbox or link can mean you agreed to have your information sold.

Spam calls from local numbers are usually faked

A call from your own area code feels safe to answer. That's exactly why scammers fake one. The trick is called neighbor spoofing: they fake a caller ID number with your area code, often matching the first six digits of your own number. The number shown often belongs to a real person who has no idea it's being misused.

Scammers also fake names and numbers to look like a government agency, such as the Social Security Administration or the IRS, and threaten you if you don't pay or share personal information. That is a scam.

Pressing a number to opt out can bring more robocalls

"Press 1 to be removed from our list" sounds like an exit. It isn't. The FTC's advice for an illegal robocall is to hang up and don't call back. Pressing a number could lead to more robocalls.

The Do Not Call Registry stops sales calls, not scam calls

The National Do Not Call Registry tells legitimate telemarketers which numbers not to call. Scammers ignore it. It's still worth joining: registration is free for home and mobile numbers, it should cut the sales calls you get, and it makes the rest easier to spot as scams.

Call blocking stops the calls that rules can't

Scammers ignore the rules, so the fix has to happen on your phone. The FTC calls a call-blocking app one of the best ways to block unwanted calls on a cell phone: it uses call data and reports to predict which calls are illegal or likely scams, and stops them before they reach you.

On iPhone, you can start with the built-in settings: Screen Unknown Callers, Call Filtering and Block Caller. See how to block spam calls on iPhone for the steps.

Not Interested adds a list of known spam numbers that are blocked before your phone rings, and labels likely spam as Suspected spam. The check happens on your iPhone, and your contacts are never labelled.

Report the calls that get through

If you didn't lose money, report the call at DoNotCall.gov. If you lost money or know who called, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Spam texts need their own settings: see how to stop spam texts on iPhone.

You can't make scammers follow the rules, but you can stop answering

You decide which calls reach you. Get Not Interested and known spam numbers are blocked before your phone rings, with your contacts never touched.