Debt, Credit & Consumer Protection · Surprise rank #327
Getting Sales Calls? Register Your Number Free on the National Do Not Call Registry
The federal National Do Not Call Registry lets consumers register personal phone numbers so legitimate telemarketers covered by the rule should stop calling.
Who
Consumers with personal landline or mobile numbers who want fewer unsolicited telemarketing calls.
What to do
Start here: Register or check a number at DoNotCall.gov. If covered sales calls continue after registration, file a complaint there.
Eligibility: Personal phone numbers can be registered at no charge.
What you get
Registering tells covered telemarketers not to make unsolicited sales calls to your number and gives you a federal complaint route for calls that violate the rules.
Benefit: Free registration and a complaint mechanism; the benefit is fewer lawful telemarketing calls rather than a cash payment.
Possible value: Free. The practical value is reduced unwanted sales calls and an enforcement record when covered callers ignore the registry.
Good to know
Important: The registry does not block calls technically and does not stop scammers who ignore the law. Political calls, charities, surveys and debt-collection calls are not all covered by the sales-call prohibition.
Availability: Active federal registry.
Why people miss it: People often confuse the registry with a spam-call blocker and assume it does nothing when illegal scammers still call.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026