FTC-PR-241115-2 (11-15-24)
Reports of Unwanted Telemarketing Calls Down More Than 50 Percent Since 2021 – FTC releases annual Do Not Call Registry Data Book showing total reports about unwanted calls decreased further in 2024
Today, the Federal Trade Commission released the National Do Not Call Registry Data Book for Fiscal Year 2024 (PDF 61-pages) which shows that consumer reports about unwanted calls continue to drop for the third straight year, with complaint volume down by more than half since 2021.
The FTC has pursued a multifaced strategy to crack down on unwanted calls. In 2023, the agency announced Operation Stop Scam Calls, the largest crackdown on illegal telemarketing in the agency’s history. This year, the agency issued a rule banning impersonation of government or business, and expanded the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) to protect businesses facing illegal telemarketing. The FTC is also confronting emerging threats such as voice cloning, by launching a Voice Cloning Challenge and clarifying that the TSR covers AI-enabled scam calls.
“Illegal Calls remain a scourge, but the FTC’s strategy to pursue upstream players and equip the agency to confront emerging threats is showing clear signs of success,” said Sam Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “In the years to come, it will be critical we continue this progress by confronting not only telemarketers but those firms who knowingly profit from scam calls.”
FTC-PR-241115-2 (11-15-24)