The FTC reports that complaints about spam calls have decreased significantly since 2021.

Complaints related to unwanted calls have decreased for the third consecutive year, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This year, reports of telemarketing have fallen by more than 50% compared to 2021, an improvement largely attributed to aggressive government actions aimed at combating annoying telemarketing and phone scams.

During fiscal year 2024, approximately 33,000 fewer complaints were recorded compared to the previous year, encompassing all types of unwanted calls. However, the FTC reported a notable 85% increase in reports of debt reduction-related calls compared to last year.

Sam Levine, director of the FTC's Consumer Protection Bureau, acknowledged that while illegal calls remain an issue, the agency's focus on pursuing upstream actors and its ability to tackle new threats have contributed to this decline in complaints.

Among the measures the FTC has implemented are its crackdown on illegal telemarketing last year and the ban on impersonating government or corporate identities. The agency also referenced its Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), which sets restrictions for telemarketers, including allowed calling hours, and specified that these rules also apply to scams using artificial intelligence. Additionally, last year, the FTC banned the notorious vehicle extended warranty scams, a decision that followed the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) proposal to impose a $300 million fine for that campaign.

For its part, the FCC has taken further actions. Major mobile carriers in the U.S. have begun adopting a new protocol against spoofing to ensure that the number appearing on consumer caller IDs is the actual one. The FCC has also banned automated calls generated by artificial intelligence and intensified its efforts against robocalls and robotexts that do not allow opting out. Alongside this, mobile companies have been required to block automated text messages that may be illegal.