Robocalls on the rise
On December 9 the Federal Trade Commission released a report on data about Do Not Call for the previous year. Most of us know about the National Do Not Call list — 226 million phone numbers are now registered. To no one’s surprise, it shows a dramatic rise in robocalls.
We all also know that being on the Do Not call list does not stop illegal robocalls. Though the Federal Trade Commission has brought over a hundred cases involving robocalls these illegal calls continue. In fact, the new report shows that Do Not Call complaints rose from 3.5 million in 2014 to 5.3 million in 2015 – a 50% increase in the last year.
The report also lists the states that have the most complaints per 100,000 people. The top 4, in order, are the District of Columbia (2771), New Jersey (2282), Connecticut (2147), and Illinois (2116). This does not necessarily mean that those locations get more illegal calls, just that they are more likely to complain.
The states with the most registrations for Do Not Call per capita are: New Hampshire, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Law enforcement uses these complaints to track patterns and locate violators. It is quick and easy to complain. Go to:
And if you are curious about a call, simply do an internet search of the number that appears in the Caller ID. Often you can learn more about the scam behind the call.
Steve Baker
December 16, 2001
