How to Report a Scam Call or Text to the FTC
Reporting scam calls and texts to the FTC and the National Do Not Call Registry helps authorities take action against scammers. Here is where and how to report.
3 min read · 5 steps · Checked April 2026
Step 1. Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Go to reportfraud.ftc.gov on any browser. Click "Report Now." Choose the type of scam (Phone Call, Text, Email, Online, or "Something else"). Follow the prompts to describe what happened. You do not need to create an account, though doing so lets you track the status and add updates.
Quick Tip
Quick Tip: Report even if you did not lose money. The FTC tracks which types of scams are active — your report contributes to real enforcement actions.
Step 2. Register on the Do Not Call Registry
Go to donotcall.gov (or call 1-888-382-1222 from the number you want to register). Register your phone number for free. After 31 days, legitimate telemarketers should not call you. Note: the registry does not stop illegal robocallers. It only applies to law-abiding companies. But it establishes that calls you receive after 31 days are more likely illegal.
Step 3. Report unwanted texts by forwarding them
For scam text messages, forward the text message to 7726 (SPAM). This is accepted by AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and most US carriers. You will receive an automated reply asking for the sender's phone number. Text back the number that sent you the spam. The carrier investigates and often blocks the number for all their customers.
Step 4. Report to the FCC for robocall issues
Go to consumercomplaints.fcc.gov if you have a specific issue with illegal robocalls, Do Not Call Registry violations, spoofed calls where the displayed number was fake, or telemarketing calls at illegal hours (before 8 AM or after 9 PM). The FCC also investigates and fines violators.
Step 5. Report Medicare and Social Security scams to relevant agencies
Medicare scams: call 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477). Social Security scams: report to the SSA Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov. IRS impersonation scams: report to the Treasury Inspector General at 1-800-366-4484. These agencies specifically pursue scammers targeting government benefit recipients.
Warning
Never share your Medicare number, Social Security number, or banking information with someone who called you unexpectedly — no matter what they claim. Hang up and call the agency directly using the number on their official website.
Getting scam calls and texts is infuriating — but you can fight back by reporting them. Your reports help the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) identify patterns, track down scammers, and take legal action.
In recent years, the FTC has used consumer reports to pursue hundreds of millions of dollars in fines against robocall operations and deceptive telemarketers.
Where to report:
- FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov: For any scam — phone calls, texts, emails, fake websites, impersonation scams, lottery scams, tech support scams, etc.
- DoNotCall.gov: Specifically for unwanted telemarketing calls. You can also add your number to the Do Not Call Registry here
- FCC at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov: For issues with robocalls, call blocking failures, and wireless carrier complaints
- Your phone carrier: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile all have spam reporting — text "SPAM" to 7726 to report the number to your carrier
What to have ready when reporting:
- The phone number that called or texted you
- The date and time of the call
- What the scammer said or claimed
- If you lost money, the amount and how you paid
Filing a report takes about 5 minutes. No immediate personal action results from a single report, but patterns of reports trigger investigations.
Official sources
- FTC Consumer Advice — consumer.ftc.gov
- IdentityTheft.gov — identitytheft.gov
- CISA — Stop.Think.Connect. — cisa.gov
- Have I Been Pwned — haveibeenpwned.com
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