There are over 50 billion robocalls made to Americans each year, with calls from unknown numbers at 9 p.m. causing widespread annoyance even among government officials. The massive fraud perpetuated against U.S. citizens daily is estimated to cost individuals their commutes, groceries, or even their cell phone bills.
According to a Public Interest Network report released in 2024, young adults aged 18 to 44 are three times as likely to be successfully targeted by scam campaigns compared to those over 55 years old. The report also found that 25% of the younger age group has been scammed more than once.
In response to these billions in annual losses, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued step-by-step guides for consumers to block numbers, filter spam, and control who can contact their phones on both iPhone and Android devices. The guidance is also tailored to specific wireless providers including AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr emphasized the initiative in a statement: “As part of our ongoing efforts to crack down on illegal robocalls and text, the FCC has published step-by-step guides that enable consumers to turn on blocking and filtering tools.”
The report highlighted significant differences in scam vulnerability between age groups. Older Americans are less likely to be victims because they typically do not answer calls or texts from unknown senders. The study noted that 57% of older adults have signed up for services like the “Do No Call” registry, compared to 30% among younger adults aged 18-64.
Additionally, males are more susceptible to scam calls with 79% admitting to such incidents over a 12-month period versus 68% of women. Despite receiving about 5% more spam calls per month than men, women are also more likely to ignore spam texts (65%) compared to men (54%).
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that scams affect 21% of the U.S. adult population, with an average annual loss of $450 per person and a total national loss of $25 billion.
State-level data reveals significant variations in robocall activity since 2020. Louisiana has seen the largest increase at 792%, far exceeding Mississippi’s 117% rise. Alaska, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas have all experienced over a 50% surge. Meanwhile, Utah recorded the biggest decline at -34%.
The FCC also warns about over a dozen scam types, including collect call scams, cell phone fraud, and “The One Ring” scam, while providing resources on spam laws and regulations.
Despite these efforts, robocall activity continues to rise. In 2025, there were approximately 52 billion robocalls in the United States, with projections indicating a potential increase to 58 billion by 2028 if current trends persist.
