Robocalls inundate Pennsylvania with over 728 million in 2025

Pennsylvania residents have been bombarded with more than 728 million scam and robocalls in the first nine months of 2025, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, a consumer watchdog group.The group found that Pennsylvanians received an average of 47 spam robocalls so far this year. By law, all phone companies that operate in the United States must adopt caller ID authentication practices using industry-standard technology and report their status to the Federal Communications Commission. The PennPIRG Education Fund’s analysis of the FCC’s database found that among the 9,200 phone companies that filed with the FCC this year as of Sept. 28, less than half — just over 4,000 — have completely installed the required robocall-fighting software.To help stop these calls, consumers are advised to take several steps.First, register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov.Second, use caller ID and avoid answering calls from numbers you do not recognize, and hang up on robocalls without pressing any numbers or calling back.Third, use your phone’s built-in features to block calls not in your contact list and send them to voicemail.Lastly, check with your phone company or cellphone provider about call blocking or labeling services, which may alert you to potential scams.

Pennsylvania residents have been bombarded with more than 728 million scam and robocalls in the first nine months of 2025, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, a consumer watchdog group.

The group found that Pennsylvanians received an average of 47 spam robocalls so far this year. By law, all phone companies that operate in the United States must adopt caller ID authentication practices using industry-standard technology and report their status to the Federal Communications Commission.

The PennPIRG Education Fund’s analysis of the FCC’s database found that among the 9,200 phone companies that filed with the FCC this year as of Sept. 28, less than half — just over 4,000 — have completely installed the required robocall-fighting software.

To help stop these calls, consumers are advised to take several steps.

First, register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov.

Second, use caller ID and avoid answering calls from numbers you do not recognize, and hang up on robocalls without pressing any numbers or calling back.

Third, use your phone’s built-in features to block calls not in your contact list and send them to voicemail.

Lastly, check with your phone company or cellphone provider about call blocking or labeling services, which may alert you to potential scams.