America's worst states for spam calls revealed - as experts reveal their best tip to block nuisance callers for good

Hold the phone! America's worst states for spam calls have been laid bare - with scenic Arizona surprisingly taking the top spot. 

The study from public records firm Radaris found The Grand Canyon State received 682,235 calls from January 2018 to December 2022 - which, per capita, stands at 927 calls per 10,000 residents.

Runner-up Colorado recorded a similar rate, with roughly 910 citizens out of every 10,000 reporting receiving unsolicited calls.

In third-place was Maryland, followed by Nevada and Virginia. Rounding out the top ten were Delaware, New Jersey, Oregon, Connecticut, and Ohio.

Elsewhere in the US, Alaska, North Dakota, and Mississippi ranked as the states with the fewest number of spam calls. 

With this in mind, experts provided a top tip to help stop the calls in their tracks.

The US's worst states for spam calls have been laid bare - thanks to a newly released study from public records firm Radaris

The probe found Arizona to be the state with the highest rate of spam calls, with residents receiving 682,235 calls from January 2018 to December 2022. That, per capita, stands at 927 calls per 10,000 residents

Runner-up Colorado saw a similar rate, with roughly 910 citizens out of 10,000 reporting receiving unsolicited phone calls

'The prevalence of spam calls has become a significant concern for individuals and businesses alike, impacting productivity, privacy, and overall well-being,' a rep for Radaris said of the findings.

'While advancements in technology offer solutions such as call-blocking apps and legislation targeting robo-callers, the persistent nature of this issue underscores the need for continued vigilance and innovation.'

Such efforts are definitely needed, considering the dataset of over 5 million reported cases from 'Do Not Call Data Books,' study authors analyzed.

Those records come from the FTC, which has long kept a list of off-limits names - with legitimate companies that defy those rules being subject to fines of $500.

But as the spokesperson warned, some firms disregard these laws - and there are instances of Do Not Call List being imported into the wrong dialer software, effectively turning it into a Call List.

Worsening matters is that auto dialers used by most spammers these days work insanely fast - meaning by the time anyone notices a mistake, chances are you've already been called.

Still, the federal government's National Do Not Call Registry is a free, easy way to reduce the telemarketing calls you get at home, the FTC says - promising fewer telemarketing calls within 31 days of registering your number.

All you need to do is visit www.donotcall.gov, or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number you want to block - but be wary, as you will still likely receive some unwanted calls, staffers at Radaris said.

In third-place was Maryland, where residents reported 893.42 spam calls per 10,000 individuals. The city of Baltimore's harbor is seen here

Further down, Nevada took fourth place, with the state's status as a tourist destination and its relatively small population density likely contributing to its high per capita spam-call rate

Virginia , on the other hand, closed out the top five, as its place as a hub for the federal government made it a prime target for fraudulent schemes, experts at the public records site said. Colonial Williamsburg is seen here

Maryland's residents, meanwhile, faced 893.42 spam calls per 10,000 individuals, after a 2019 study Using call data and robocall complaints from the FTC found the state to have the highest rate of spam calls. Pictured is the habour in Lewes, an incorporated city on the Delaware Bay

Researchers looked over the total number of calls from 2018 to 2022 to gain a better understanding of their frequency, and where exactly they are occurring. 

They found that Arizona's 7.2million residents reported a shocking 682,235 spam calls during that period, earning it the number-one rank.

Experts credited the flood of calls to the number of retirees in the state, making it a prime mark for Medicare scams, and a robust home-buying market further feeding into the bump with home-buying scam calls

'That isn’t surprising given the market in Phoenix,' Jim Tyrell, vice president of enterprise product management at TNS, told The Phoenix Times in January.

'They pay over the phone and never hear back from that bad actor again,' he said of the home-buying scams, also citing an abundance of political survey calls given Arizona's battleground status.

Following closely behind were Colorado and Maryland, two star-crossed states that claimed the second and third spots, respectively. 

The Centennial State experienced a rate of 910.19 spam calls per 10,000 residents, fueled mostly by robo-calls. Coloradans received nearly 65 million robocalls in January, according to the Robocall Index - up 7 percent from December.

Maryland's residents, meanwhile, faced 893.42 spam calls per 10,000 individuals, after a 2019 study using call frequency data and robocall complaints from the FTC found the state to have the highest rate of spam calls at the time.

Further down on the list, Nevada took fourth place, likely thanks to its status as a tourist destination as well its relatively small population density, creating a higher rate than other states.

On the flip-side, less bustling Alaska was found to boast the lowest number of spam calls in the country

That was followed by North Dakota, which recorded 26,919 spam calls during the study period

Mississippi rounded out the top three best states for spam call avoiders, with a rate almost the fifth of the worst offenders. Indiana and Missouri finished off the top five

Virginia, on the other hand, closed out the top five, as its place as a hub for the federal government made it a prime target for fraudulent schemes, experts at the public records site said.

The country's oldest state recorded 282,128 and 766,008 spam calls respectively, and rates of 887.82 and 882.13 per 10,000 population.

Delaware, New Jersey, Oregon, Connecticut, and Ohio completed the top ten, each experiencing substantial volumes of spam calls relative to their populations, between 876.88 and 819.87 per 10,000 population.

Each of those states boast high levels of economic activity and connectivity, Radaris notes - suggesting a correlation between socioeconomic factors and spam prevalence.

On the flip-side, less bustling states like Alaska, North Dakota, and Mississippi were found to boast the lowest number of spam calls in the country.

Alaska recorded 20,966 spam calls between 2018 and 2020, while North Dakota had 26,919 and Mississippi 105,758. 

Those translate to rates of 285.80, 345.44, and 359.71 per 10,000, respectively.

Indiana and Missouri, meanwhile, closed out the top five deemed the best states for avoiding spam calls.

With a rate of almost a fifth of the worst offenders, it may be time to relocate.