How to report scam calls

Where to report

You don't have to report to every agency. Pick the one that fits what happened. One good report helps.

Lost money or gave out personal details: ReportFraud.ftc.gov, after you've called your bank or card company.

An unwanted sales call or robocall, with no money lost: DoNotCall.gov.

You live in North Carolina: the NC Attorney General. Robocalls and scam texts go to 1-844-8-NO-ROBO (1-844-866-7626) or the online form at ncdoj.gov/report-robocalls. Other scams go to 1-877-5-NO-SCAM (1-877-566-7226).

A problem with a phone company: the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), online at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov or at 1-888-225-5322.

Someone is using your personal information: IdentityTheft.gov.

What to write down first

Write these down while you remember.

• The number on your caller ID, even if you think it was faked.
• Your own number that the call came to.
• The date and time of the call.
• Any callback number the caller gave you, and the name or company they used.
• What they asked for, like money, gift cards, a code sent to your phone or your Medicare number.

Reporting to the FTC

ReportFraud.ftc.gov is the Federal Trade Commission's main place to report scams. Click Report Now and answer the questions. You can share as much or as little personal detail as you like.

When you finish, you'll get steps to protect yourself. The FTC can't resolve cases for individuals, so don't expect a call back about your report.

The FTC adds your report to a secure database that is shared with law enforcement agencies. The FTC and other agencies use reports to spot trends, investigate and bring cases against scammers.

For unwanted calls with no money lost, the form at DoNotCall.gov is quicker. The FTC asks you to report even if you think the caller ID was fake. It publishes the numbers of illegal callers each business day, which helps phone companies and makers of call-blocking tools.

Reporting to the North Carolina Attorney General

The NC Department of Justice has a robocall hotline, 1-844-8-NO-ROBO, and an online form for robocalls and texts at ncdoj.gov/report-robocalls. You can save the form and finish it later.

The office says it may share reported numbers with federal partners and the phone industry, look for patterns in complaints, and take action against callers who break the law.

For other scams, call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM inside North Carolina, or 919-716-6000 from outside the state.

The office doesn't represent individuals in private cases, so it can't act as your lawyer.

Reporting to the FCC

The FCC regulates phone companies. You can file a complaint online at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov, or call the FCC's toll-free line, 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322).

If you lost money to a scam call, your bank and the FTC are the better first stops.

Will reporting stop the calls?

Not right away. Scammers change numbers often and fake the ones they show. But reports help investigators find the people behind the calls, and help phone companies block bad numbers.

Your report may also help someone else spot the same trick. If you lost money, call your bank first. Time matters more there than anywhere else.

How Nexus handles it

Reports from people like you help Nexus too. Numbers from public FTC complaints are blocked for every Nexus member, along with any number caught as spam on more than one member's line. Only the number is shared, never what was said.

Numbers on the spam list are refused, and most callers you don't know are asked who they are before your phone rings. An automated assistant asks who's calling and why, and callers are told the call is being screened and may be transcribed. Anthropic's Claude reads what they say. Real callers are put through or leave a voicemail you can read. People in your contacts always ring.

Nexus works on Android and iPhone. You keep your own number and phone company. More about how it works is on the About page.

Nexus is invite-only. The price is on the wait list page, and you can cancel yourself any time.

Common questions

Sources

• FTC: Reporting fraud 101
• FTC: What To Do if You Were Scammed
• FTC: Robocalls
• NC Department of Justice: Report Robocalls
• USAGov: Federal Communications Commission (FCC)