WASHINGTON -- Even after registering your number on the Federal Trade Commission's Do Not Call list, the phone calls keep coming.

They're even calling your cell phones, or spoofing local numbers so you think it's a friend or neighbor or even a government office seeking to reach out and touch you.

But that's not the case. It's another telemarketer.

So you complain. And complain some more.

Indeed, New Jersey residents, on a per person basis, griped more than anyone else during the 12-month period that ended Sept. 30, 2017, according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

"It could be that people are doing a good job of educating consumers about their rights and encouraging them to complain in New Jersey," said Susan Grant, director of consumer protection and privacy at the Consumer Federation of America.

The FTC got 3,593 calls per 100,000 population from Garden State residents. In second place was Delaware with 2,909. The two states whose residents grumble the least are Hawaii, with 1,124 complaints per 100,000 residents, and Alaska, with 410.

The agency doesn't know why New Jerseyans are more willing to kvetch than residents of other states. Part of the reason could be that more Garden State residents joined the Do Not Call list. There are 81,688 New Jersey registrants per 100,000 people, fifth highest in the country.

"They could be receiving more calls," FTC spokesman Mitchell Katz said. "They also could be people who are more annoyed with the calls they're getting and are more likely to complain, or people who know who to complain to. It's hard to say which one, if any one specifically, has to do with the number of complaints that we've received."

During the previous 12 months, New Jersey residents accounted for 2,282 calls per 100,000 residents, also more than any other state.

Nationally, complaints about telemarketing calls rose to 7.2 million during the period Oct. 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2017, from 5.3 million during the previous 12 months.

California, the most populous state, produced 824,692 complaints, more than anywhere. Florida was second with 588,021. New Jersey produced 321,393.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.