Official registration and reporting

Do Not Call: where to register and report

Use the federal government's own websites. Registration can reduce lawful telemarketing calls, but it does not block calls and does not cover every caller or purpose.

Official registry

National Do Not Call Registry

Open donotcall.govFCC consumer guide

Stop unwanted robocalls and texts

Review FCC guidance on robocalls, robotexts, spoofing, blocking resources, complaint categories, and identity-theft caution.

Open the FCC guideFraud reports

FTC ReportFraud

Report scams, fraud, and bad business practices and receive guidance matched to the report.

Open ReportFraud.ftc.govTelephone complaints

FCC Consumer Complaints

Submit complaints involving unwanted calls, spoofing, telephone service, and related communications issues.

Open FCC complaints

The federal waiting period

Count 31 full days after registration

The National Registry says most telemarketers should stop after the number has been registered for 31 days. An unwanted sales call becomes eligible for a Registry report after that period. Keep the registration date with the call record.

Registration day: Save the confirmation and registration date.
Days 1-30: The federal Registry grace period has not finished.
Day 31 onward: Report covered unwanted sales calls through donotcall.gov.

Calls the Registry may not stop

The Registry focuses on sales calls. The FTC says these organizations or call purposes may still reach a registered number:

Charities and charitable solicitations
Political organizations and political calls
Telephone surveys, unless the call also includes a sales pitch
Debt collectors, which are governed by separate debt-collection rules

A call outside the Registry's coverage can still be subject to FCC rules, state law, or another federal law. "Not covered by the Registry" does not mean "lawful in every respect."

Build a clear opt-out trail

A stop request is most useful when the words, sender, recipient, time, and later conduct can be shown from the record.

Use simple language such as "Do not contact me again" or "Stop texting this number."
Save the exact request, delivery method, phone number, business name, and any confirmation.
Track calls or texts received after the request without assuming a spoofed number proves identity.
Group related campaigns, affiliates, lead generators, and marketing partners as leads until independent records connect them.
Check current FCC rules and qualified advice before treating a pattern as a legal claim.

Before reporting a covered sales call

Registration is one fact in the record. Identity, purpose, consent, exemptions, and the source of the call still matter.

Confirm the number had been registered for at least 31 days when the call occurred.
Preserve the call date, time, number called, displayed caller information, and recording.
Record the business name, representative, and sales purpose claimed during the call.
Keep company-specific stop requests and any calls received afterward.
Describe caller ID as displayed information unless identity has been independently verified.

Safer call and text handling

The FCC guide treats robocalls, robotexts, and spoofing as related risks. Preserve useful facts, but do not interact in ways that expose credentials or confirm the line is active.

Do not answer unknown calls merely to investigate them; if you answer a suspicious call, hang up.
Do not press a key to stop calls from an unexpected recording. That can confirm a working number.
Do not answer questions that can be used out of context, especially simple yes-or-no prompts.
Do not click links or call numbers supplied by unexpected texts. Use a known official website or number instead.
Ask your carrier about call blocking, call labeling, and text filtering, then save any report confirmation with the call record.

Read the Registry's current FAQ

The official Registry explains the 31-day period, calls that may continue, business-relationship questions, and how its reports are used.

Open the official FAQ