Americans were overwhelmed by an estimated 24.3 billion robocalls in the first seven months of this year, compared to an estimated 17.2 billion robocalls received in the first seven months of 2017, marking a 41.3% year-on-year increase for this ongoing national problem.
National robocalling volumes for July equaled 129 million calls per day, or 1,493 robocalls placed every second of the month, according to YouMail, a free robocall blocking solution for mobile phones that helps consumers stop robocalls from ever reaching their phones.
Minnesota ranks fourth in the nation for the largest percentage increase in outbound robocalls. California held its spot as the most prolific robocalling state, rising 4.2% in July to 343.1 robocalls made. Colorado saw the biggest percentage increase in outbound robocalls, gaining 22.8% in July, followed by Mississippi (up 22.3%); Nevada (up 21.0%); and Minnesota (up 20.3%). This doesn’t mean callers are located in those states. Rather, callers anywhere in the world are using area codes assigned to areas within these states.
The YouMail Robocall Index is a compilation of the scope and location of the worst robocalling hotspots across the country by area code, and these statistics are regularly cited by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a definitive source for national data trends.
In July, scams accounted for an estimated 1.4 billion robocalls, or nearly 36% of all robocalls made in that month.
| Type of Robocall | Estimated July Robocalls | Percentage of July Robocalls |
| Alerts and Reminders | 914m | 23% |
| Payment Reminders | 907m | 23% |
| Telemarketing | 733m | 18% |
| Scams | 1.44m | 36% |
This increase in scam calls has several factors, including an increase in scammers making multiple calls to individuals from different numbers to try to get through, and in recognizing that telemarketing calls are actually more appropriately recognized as scams.
Atlanta topped the YouMail 50 Most Robocalled Cities in America list for the 32nd month in a row, as area residents are estimated to have received more than 179 million robocalls in July. Atlanta’s 404 area code received the most robocalls of any area in July, with 78.3 million.
Four Georgia area codes (404, 678,770 and 706), four Texas area codes (832, 214, 817 and 210), and three Florida area codes (954, 305 and 407) made the list of the 20 Most Robocalled Area Codes for the month of July.
Meanwhile, California retained its perch as the most robocalled state in the nation, with 447.3 million robocalls statewide, followed closely by Texas with 445.1 million calls received. South Dakota notched the biggest statewide percentage increase for the second straight month, rising 15.3% in July over June. Other states posting large increases included New Hampshire (up 14.8%); Maine (up 6.7%); Vermont (up 6.6%); and Montana (up 5.2%).
One national credit card company has retained the most active robocalling phone number with 40.8 million calls placed in the month of July alone.
An 80% majority of the country’s 20 top robocalling phone numbers, or 16 of the top 20, were made by debt collectors including banks, cable companies and retailers. Other calls originated from phone lines for a health insurance scam, a bank card scam, and a business loan scam.
Los Angeles overtook New York as the #1 robocalling city in July, with 118.8 million robocalls placed. Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago rounded out the top-five most prolific robocalling cities for the month.
For the first time in the history of the Robocall Index, 14 cities each placed more than 50 million robocalls in a single month. They were the top-five followed By Phoenix, Houston, Seattle, Columbus, Baltimore, San Francisco Bay Area, Newark, Orlando and Philadelphia. The 614 area code in Columbus, OH, produced the most robocalls in July with 55.8 million calls placed, followed by the 202 area code in Washington, D.C., with 46.2 million calls placed.
YouMail blocks unwanted robocallers by making sure the user’s phone doesn’t ring, and then plays an out-of-service message that leads them to think that the number they dialed is invalid.