Ohio has it the worst when it comes to spam and scam calls and messages.
The Buckeye State is ranked the No. 1 worst state in the nation for calls and text messages with the highest number of complaints per capita, according to findings from SMS marketing platform Textla. It notes that Ohio has 859 complaints per 100,000 people—higher than any other state.
Here’s why Ohio is the worst state for spam and scam calls and texts, how to avoid them, and what to do if you receive them.
The study points to factors like “large population centers … or scammers targeting specific demographics” as reasons for the influx of nuisance spam messages. AI-driven scams may also target the state to make it a major hotspot for spam calls and texts.
The study found that these are the top states with the highest number of complaints to the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission for spam calls and texts:
Here’s what the FTC recommends you do if you want to reduce the number of spam calls you receive.
The FTC also provides guidance on what to do if you already paid a scammer or revealed personal information to them.
If you already sent money via gift card, a payment app, crypto or wire transfer, the FTC says the best first step is to act quickly to report it to the company or bank behind the payment method as you may be able to get your money back.
If you receive a smishing scam text (SMS phishing) text, the FBI recommends that you take the following actions if you encounter a smishing text message:
Textla analyzed 2024 data from the FTC and the FCC and found over 250 million active registrations on the National Do Not Call Registry after looking through more than 2 million complaints to both agencies.
“Whether it’s fraudulent health insurance offers, fake IRS threats, or spam texts promising too-good-to-be-true deals, Ohioans can’t seem to get a break,” the Textla study reads.

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