More than 2 million new phone numbers were added to the national Do Not Call Registry for the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2023, according to a report on the database released by the Federal Trade Commission last week. The FTC also reported receiving 2 million complaints from consumers during the same period.
The report is a summary of the Do Not Call Registry and the measures being taken by the FTC and the Federal Communications Commission to combat robocalls and was prepared and submitted to Congress.
The Impact of Technology: Noting that both consumers and scammers are benefitting from advancements in technology, the FTC detailed its efforts to combat robocalls from ever making a consumer’s phone ring.
- While 2 million complaints may seem like a lot, that figure is significantly lower than what it’s been in years past. The FTC averaged 95,000 complaints per month in the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2023, compared with 150,000 complaints per month a year earlier.
- The agency cited its enforcement strategies as a reason why the number of complaints has decreased.
The Loopholes: The report does go into some detail about the ways that business — legitimate and otherwise — seek to circumvent the Do Not Call Registry’s rules, such as the Existing Business Relationship provision. There doesn’t exist a bright-line test for what determines whether a seller and a consumer have an existing business relationship, but the FTC does use this question as a guide: “would consumers likely be surprised by that call and find it inconsistent with having placed their telephone number on the national ‘do-not-call’ registry?”
Top Complaints: The five most popular topics for unwanted calls from consumers were:
- Imposters (calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends)
- Medical and prescriptions
- Reducing debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)
- Energy, solar, & utilities
- Warranties & Protection plans
