On the Do Not Call List but Still Getting Calls?

When sales calls may support a Do Not Call claim

Being on the National Do Not Call Registry can protect your personal home or cell phone from covered sales calls. After your number has been registered for 31 days, continued sales calls deserve a closer look. The caller does not have to use a recording or an autodialer.

For a private claim under 47 U.S.C. § 227(c)(5), you must have received more than one call within 12 months by or on behalf of the same entity in violation of the applicable regulations. Calls from unrelated businesses are not automatically added together. Permission, exceptions, and potential defenses also need review.

Identify the seller, not just the number on your screen

A useful starting point is what the caller was selling and which business would provide it. An insurance pitch, home-service offer, or vehicle-coverage promotion may identify a seller even when calls arrive from different numbers.

Write down any company or agent name, product, callback number, and website mentioned. Caller ID can be misleading, so a matching number alone does not establish who is responsible. Preserve what you already have; you do not need to make a purchase or keep answering calls to investigate.

Prior purchases, inquiries, and permission

Tell us if you bought something, requested a quote, entered your number on a website, or agreed to marketing. A qualifying business relationship or permission can affect a Registry-based claim. Save the original form or confirmation if it is available.

A request to a particular seller to stop sales calls is a separate protection. A prior business relationship does not give a seller unlimited permission to ignore that request. Keep the date, wording, and any response.

Which calls need a different analysis?

Political, charitable, survey-only, and debt-collection calls are generally outside the Registry’s sales-call restriction. Their purpose and content matter; a supposed survey that turns into a sales pitch needs closer review.

Recorded or artificial-voice calls can raise separate TCPA issues even if your number is not registered. Other conduct, such as sales calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in your local time, may raise additional issues. Not every rule violation supports the same private remedy.

What to save for your consultation

Organize the calls by the company or seller you believe is responsible. If you are unsure, say so. A short timeline and the original records are more useful than a total count without context.

• Your Registry confirmation and registration date.
• Call dates, times, displayed numbers, and any saved voicemails.
• The company or agent named and what was offered.
• Any prior purchase, quote request, signup, or consent form.
• Your request to stop and any calls received afterward.

Add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry

Registration is free. Personal home and cell phone numbers are eligible for the National Do Not Call Registry; business numbers and fax lines are not covered.

Online: Visit DoNotCall.gov, choose the registration option, and enter your phone number and email address. Complete registration by clicking the confirmation link emailed to you within 72 hours. You can register up to three numbers at a time; confirm each email.

By phone: Call 1-888-382-1222 from the number you want to register (TTY: 1-866-290-4236).

Allow up to 31 days for covered sales calls to stop. You can verify your registration at DoNotCall.gov. Save your confirmation and registration date. Registration does not expire, although a new or disconnected and reassigned number may need registration.

The Do Not Call Registry does not block calls or prevent every unwanted call. Other TCPA protections may apply even without registration.

Register or verify your number at DoNotCall.gov

Common questions

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