2024 Study: Here Are The States and Cities Robocalls Targeted The Most
Last year, robocall scams and fraud led to a staggering $851 million in financial losses, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Since the pandemic, annual financial losses from robocall scams have nearly doubled, from $423 million in 2020 to $851 million in 2023.
Measures like call-blocking technology and the National Do Not Call Registry have not curbed complaints to federal agencies; in 2024 alone, millions of robocall complaints have been filed nationwide, costing consumers both their time and, in some cases, their money.
And it turns out that some cities and states are being targeted more than others.
NumberBarn, a phone number marketplace and provider, took a deep dive into the data to uncover where robocall complaints experience the highest volumes, the financial toll of the robocalls, and how the holiday season amplifies the problem.
Key Findings
- Delaware leads the nation in robocalls per capita, with 960 complaints per 100,000 residents in 2024.
- Tucson, Arizona, and St. Petersburg, Florida, are the hardest hit cities, with over 700 complaints per 100,000 residents.
- Phone call scams cost Americans nearly $700 million in 2024, with a median fraud loss of $1,500 per victim.
- Annual financial losses from robocall scams nearly doubled, from $423 million in 2020 to $851 million in 2023.
- The holiday season saw a spike in robocalls: Ohio, Delaware, and North Carolina ranked as the most affected states during Q4 of the most recent data.
States with the Most Robocalls in 2024
Robocalls aren’t just limited to phone calls. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also reports that text solicitations are a growing concern, contributing significantly to consumer losses.
1. Delaware
Robocall complaints: 9,428
Robocall complaints per 100K: 960
2. Ohio
Robocall complaints: 108,394
Robocall complaints per 100K: 921
3. Arizona
Robocall complaints: 61,270
Robocall complaints per 100K: 865
4. Illinois
Robocall complaints: 109,989
Robocall complaints per 100K: 858
5. North Carolina
Robocall complaints: 85,604
Robocall complaints per 100K: 826
6. Virginia
Robocall complaints: 70,728
Robocall complaints per 100K: 824
7. Nebraska
Robocall complaints: 15,631
Robocall complaints per 100K: 801
8. Nevada
Robocall complaints: 24,398
Robocall complaints per 100K: 798
9. California
Robocall complaints: 308,768
Robocall complaints per 100K: 783
10. Colorado
Robocall complaints: 43,864
Robocall complaints per 100K: 766
When measured per capita, Delaware leads the nation with 960 spam call complaints per 100,000 residents. Delaware is followed closely by Ohio (921) and Arizona (865).
Rounding out the top five states with the most complaints are Illinois (858) and North Carolina (826).
Cities with the Most Robocalls in 2024
An unlikely place near the desert is the king of robocalls. Tucson, Arizona, topped the city list, with 751 complaints per 100,000 residents.
In total, Tucson logged 7,769 robocall complaints in 2024. Similarly, St. Petersburg, Florida, and Fort Worth, Texas, rank among the most impacted cities per capita.
1. Tucson, Arizona
Robocall complaints: 7,769
Robocall complaints per 100K: 751
2. St. Petersburg, Florida
Robocall complaints: 6,708
Robocall complaints per 100K: 700
3. Fort Worth, Texas
Robocall complaints: 13,785
Robocall complaints per 100K: 659
4. Jacksonville, Florida
Robocall complaints: 6,305
Robocall complaints per 100K: 641
5. Las Vegas, Nevada
Robocall complaints: 14,181
Robocall complaints per 100K: 636
6. Columbus, Ohio
Robocall complaints: 8,179
Robocall complaints per 100K: 623
7. Cleveland, Ohio
Robocall complaints: 7,802
Robocall complaints per 100K: 617
8. Raleigh, North Carolina
Robocall complaints: 6,628
Robocall complaints per 100K: 596
9. Anaheim, California
Robocall complaints: 18,723
Robocall complaints per 100K: 588
10. Phoenix, Arizona
Robocall complaints: 24,718
Robocall complaints per 100K: 566
When it comes to areas with a high concentration of robocalls, three cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth region rank among the top 25: Fort Worth (No. 3), Plano (No. 14), and Dallas (No. 24).
Ohio not only ranks second among states with the most robocall complaints per capita, but several Ohio cities also rank high, including Columbus (No. 6), Cleveland (No. 7), and Cincinnati (No. 11).
Financial Cost of Robocall and Texting Scams
Robocalls aren’t just an annoyance — they come with a hefty price tag tied to fraudulent schemes.
In 2024, phone call fraud cost Americans nearly $700 million ($695 million) through September, reflecting a 9.2% year-over-year increase from $631 million. The median loss per victim of phone call scams stands at a staggering $1,500.
Robocalls aren’t just limited to your phone ringing either. The FCC also surveyed the amount of text solicitations people received, and the results were similarly alarming.
Losses from text scams continue to rise, with a reported $325 million in losses through September 2024, according to the FTC. In 2023, text scams accounted for over $372 million in consumer losses, with a median loss per victim of $1,000.
In fact, phone calls and text scams resulted in the highest median loss per victim, compared to other contact methods such as email, social media, and websites.
Age Groups Most Affected by Phone and Text Fraud
Phone scammers target people of all ages, but older adults are particularly vulnerable, both in terms of financial losses and frequency of scams.
According to the FTC, seniors experience the highest median losses from phone fraud, with reported financial losses totaling $405 million for those aged 60 and over in 2023. For this demographic, the median loss per individual is $2,000 — the highest among all age groups.
Older adults aged 80 and over face even more robocall/text scam risks. For this age group, losses to phone fraud totaled $92 million, surpassing losses to online fraud ($55 million).
Additionally, over 40% of all reported financial losses from scams among individuals aged 80 and older were linked to phone calls, compared to 24% for all seniors and just 10% for younger consumers.
Text scams are also on the rise for seniors. In 2023, individuals aged 60 and over reported $130 million in losses from text message scams, up from $90 million in 2022. The median loss for this group was $1,300, underscoring the growing threat of phishing messages and other fraudulent text-based schemes.
States with the Most Robocalls During the Holidays
The holiday season is a prime time for robocall scams, as fraudsters take advantage of increased consumer spending and charitable giving. Analyzing data from the fourth quarters of 2022 and 2023, we identified the states most plagued by robocalls during the end of the year.
Some states saw increases, while others experienced sharp declines. Rhode Island reported a 75% decrease in complaints year-over-year, while states like Ohio and Delaware remained consistent robocall hotspots, despite slight decreases in complaints.
How to Protect Yourself from Robocalls
Phone call and text fraud can occur in a lot of different ways, so it’s important to be aware of how it could happen to you.
Common types of phone call fraud include:
- Fake charities
- Fraud tech support representatives
- Banking scams
- IRS imposters
- “One-ring scams,” where a fraudster calls and hangs up immediately to entice a call back
- Voice phishing, or “vishing,” where scammers use deceptive calls to obtain personal information
Even though robocalls remain a widespread issue across the country, there are several ways consumers can prevent robocalls as well as protect themselves from potential fraud and scams:
Mitigate Phone Number Recycling
Reduce the amount of times you switch phone numbers and hold on to yours for as long as you can. Take your number with you if you’re switching providers.
If you need a new phone number, park your old number so you always maintain ownership of it. Then choose your own phone number as opposed to using the one assigned to you.
Use Call-Blocking Technology
Several phone carriers and third-party services offer tools to block robocalls or spam. You can enable these features on your phone in order to block unwanted calls.
Screen Unknown Numbers
Unsure of who is calling you? Always let unknown numbers go to voicemail.
Register on the National Do Not Call List
Adding your number to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Do Not Call Registry can reduce unwanted calls, although it won’t stop illegal robocalls entirely.
Avoid Sharing Personal Information
Never provide personal or financial information over the phone, unless you are certain of the caller’s identity.
Be Skeptical of Urgency
Scammers frequently use urgency to pressure victims into making quick decisions. Take your time to verify any suspicious claims or offers.
You Can Actually Report Robocalls
File a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to help authorities track and combat illegal robocalls.
Enable Do Not Disturb Mode
Use your smartphone’s “Do Not Disturb” settings to allow calls only from your contacts, reducing the chances of being interrupted by robocalls.
Stop Robocalls, Once & For All
While it’s impractical to say Robocalls will one day be a scheme of the past, we can certainly do our part to halt their growing prevalence.
If you live in any of these heavily-robo-attacked states and cities, be especially vigilant of unknown calls and extra protective of your phone number. Don’t let these invasive calls and texts compromise your phone number, and ultimately your identity.
Methodology
This study analyzes the number of robocall complaints per capita across all 50 states and the 50 most populous cities in the United States, using data from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) National Do Not Call Registry. Additionally, the analysis incorporates annual financial losses attributed to fraud conducted through phone calls and text message scams, as reported by the FTC.
The data includes the most recent information available as of December 2024. For holiday-specific trends, data from the fourth quarters of 2022 and 2023 were analyzed to capture seasonal patterns in robocall activity.
All findings are based on publicly available FTC reports and were adjusted to account for variations in population size, ensuring accurate per capita comparisons. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of robocall and scam trends, highlighting both geographic and temporal patterns in fraudulent activity.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey
Fair Use: Feel free to use this data and research with proper attribution linking to this study.
Media Inquiries: For media inquiries, contact media@thisisnoble.co
Illustrations by Mathias Ball
