Spam robocalls in the United States have surged to a six-year high, averaging 2.56 billion per month in 2025, up from 2.14 billion per month in 2024, according to a report by consumer watchdog U.S. PIRG Education Fund. The increase comes five years after the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act took effect, which required phone carriers to implement caller ID authentication software.
Despite the legislation, only 44 percent of phone companies have fully installed the required software and adopted anti-robocall policies, down from 47 percent in 2024. Out of 9,242 companies that filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as of September 28, 2025, only 4,084 had completed installation, compared to 4,365 the previous year. Meanwhile, 2,909 companies had not installed the technology, up from 2,567 in 2024.
The report suggests reasons for the decline in compliance may include inaccurate submissions, mergers with noncompliant companies, or installation of noncompliant equipment. The technology is crucial for authenticating caller ID and blocking spam calls before they reach consumers.
In addition to non-compliance, the volume of spam calls has skyrocketed. One in three Americans receives at least one scam call daily, and two-thirds receive at least one weekly. Robocall-blocking firm YouMail reported over 420 million more scam and telemarketing calls per month in 2025 compared to 2024. Scam texts are also on the rise, with artificial intelligence making them more believable.
The financial impact is significant: the Federal Trade Commission reported a 16 percent increase in money lost to phone-initiated scams from the first half of 2024 to the first half of 2025, with average losses of $3,690. In response, all US attorneys general joined a bipartisan operation in August, sending warning letters to 37 voice providers demanding they stop facilitating illegal robocalls.
Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director for U.S. PIRG Education Fund, said: “This is like the Twilight Zone. When the government mandates something to protect Americans – think seat belts – we usually see more compliance each year. But in this case, fewer companies are protecting us and the volume of unwanted calls has increased.”
