Is your phone working against you as a small business owner? You may have noticed your callbacks have dried up. And when your customers finally email, they say things like, “I tried to call you back, but my phone said ‘Potential Spam’, so I hung up.” There’s a likelihood your business’s primary number isn’t being ignored but is seen as “Likely Spam. These growing problems not only affect businesses. It also affects anyone relying on their phone to work, from freelancers and job seekers to sales reps. If you suspect your number has been marked as spam, this article will guide you through simple steps to check, along with practical solutions.
Common reasons your number gets flagged
Here are some possible reasons why your phone number appears on “Spam Likely” on certain phones. These actually happen due to critical behaviors that trigger spam filters and damage your phone number’s reputation.
- Mass outbound calls or texts
Carriers and spam filters often interpret phone numbers used in making a high volume of calls or texts as indicating robotic or scammer behavior.
- Low answer rates
In the same way, when many people you call don’t answer your calls, the algorithms also assume that people don’t want calls from you. Hence, they tag these calls as unwanted or fraudulent.
- Too many short-duration calls
It’s also possible people might pick up your calls. However, if most calls only last a few seconds, then the spam filters will also label that phone number as fraudulent.
- Being reported by recipients
Finally, if the people you call go out of their way to label or complain about your phone calls or texts online, it can be labeled as “spam” or “fraudulent.”
How to check if your number is flagged as spam
Considering all the triggers we’ve talked about, the next step is to confirm that your phone number is being flagged. Here are all the effective ways to check your phone number online or using other measures.
Call someone and ask
The easiest way is to call someone physically close to you using that phone number. Any phone number that has been flagged will automatically display as “Spam” or “Spam Likely”. This is the fastest method for checking spam labels on phones.
Check call history
If you’ve used your phone numbers to call each other, you can also check your call history. When a phone number is labeled as spam, it shows up as a red label next to the number in the dialer or call log.
Check voicemails or missed calls
Carriers often notify business organizations when their phone numbers are marked as spam. Hence, if your phone number is duly registered, you can also check your voicemails or call back missed calls to see if the information has been sent to you.
Search via carrier
Your dedicated carrier may sometimes offer a spam number lookup service. This often happens if you’re using a dedicated VoIP solution for your business, such as for telemarketing or customer service calls. This might not be the most straightforward approach, but it’s the most accurate way to see how your phone numbers appear. You should leverage this method, especially when making a large number of international phone calls. All you need to do is:
- Pick your ideal spam lookup tool from either AT&T Call Protection, T-Mobile Scam Shield, or Verizon Spam Filter.
- Spam lookup is usually a paid service, so you must sign up for it.
- Now, go to your carrier’s app or online dashboard and manually enter the phone number in the search bar.
- You’ll see if there are any labels attached to it.
Use spam number checker
Srihan is an AI agent that monitors your business phone numbers across various carriers and mobile providers, including AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Hence, it flags any significant number of complaints from recipients about flags like “Spam” or “Scam Likely.”> That way, you can take proactive measures to fix your business phone number reputation efficiently. To use it:
- Go to Sirhan and sign up.
- Purchase a subscription.
- Next, go to “Phone Numbers” and then enter your business phone number.
- Srihan would simulate live test calls to AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile using real SIMs.
- Then, you’ll receive screenshots of situations where your number is marked as “Spam” or “Scam Likely”.
- After testing, you can set up to receive automated reports periodically.
Via phone number lookup
Third-party phone number lookups are also effective ways for free spam likely check. You’ll especially appreciate that you can check multiple phone numbers from a single dashboard. It’s one of the most recommended ways to keep track of the health of your business phone numbers when your carrier doesn’t offer a spam number lookup feature. Here are two third-party tools you can use to check phone numbers online:
RoboKiller Lookup
Robokiller is a dedicated spam lookup tool designed for quick checks against billions of phone numbers. Specifically, you’ll receive the result of your number’s status on the Robokiller website. To use this:
- Simply type the number into the dedicated slot on the Robokiller website.
- Hit the search button and wait for the result.
LocatePhone
LocatePhone’s reverse phone lookup can help you identify on a global scale if your number is associated with reported scams. It would provide carrier and location data alongside other comprehensive insights about that phone number. Here’s how it works:
- Go to LocatePhone reverse phone lookup
- Wait a few seconds.
- Hit the “Unlock all results” button.
- And enter your email address.
How to fix & prevent your number from being flagged
If you’ve found out your phone number has a poor reputation, there are steps you can take to restore it and prevent future issues.
Register your number with carriers
Enroll your business number in free, official carrier programs. This isn’t usually set by default or deemed necessary. But when you register your phone number, you are proactively validating your identity to the network. This would significantly increase the chances that your calls will display your business name or, at the very least, reach the intended recipients you want to contact. Here are some providers you can register with to maintain the health of your phone numbers. All you need to do is go there, enter your phone numbers manually, or upload a CSV file of your numbers, and then provide your business details.
- Hiya
- Verizon
- Robokiller
- YouMail
- Icehook systems
- T-Mobile’sCallTransparency
- TrueSpam
- Transaction Network Services (TNS) Call Guardian Robocall Feedback Website.
Use a branded caller ID service
For a more powerful solution, consider setting up a Branded Caller ID. Businesses often use this to display their name or any other information that customers might be familiar with. Usually, these services won’t only display your company name, but also your logo and the reason for calling, on the recipient’s screen. You can access this service from providers like Numeracle or Infobip. That said, always remember that this won’t automatically remove an existing “Spam” label from your phone number. But it can work alongside to rebuild trust and significantly boost answer rates.
Maintain good calling practices
Ultimately, the best way to build and manage the health of your phone numbers is by adhering to good calling practices, including:
- Manage call volumes and patterns: Avoid making a high volume of calls rapidly, especially when the calls don’t last long. Spread out your call activity and gradually ramp up for new campaigns, rather than starting at a high volume.
- Follow regulations: Avoid calling phone numbers that are listed on the National Do Not Call Registry. You should also maintain an internal “do not call” list of people you’ve tried calling who were not receptive.
- Provide clear caller identification: Train staff to clearly state your business name and the reason for calling immediately. This can build trust and reduce complaints.
- Avoid Neighbor spoofing: Minimize the use of multiple local area codes that don’t match your business’s actual location. While this method may help you build familiarity, the tactics can also erode trust when abused.
FAQ
Can personal numbers also get flagged?
Yes, any phone numbers, including business and personal numbers, can be flagged if you are not practising good calling habits. Carriers rely on algorithms and your own behaviours to automatically mark specific phone numbers as spam.
How do I check my phone number’s reputation?
You can use third-party online tools, such as Truecaller and LocatePhone, among others. Alternatively, you can have a friend test-call you, or use your carrier’s call protection app to see how your phone number is displayed.
How do I remove my number from the spam list?
There’s no single “spam list” to remove yourself from. However, you can dispute the label directly with the source. This means submitting allowlist requests to carriers and registering with third-party call-blocking apps. And most importantly, leverage good call practices to build your reputation.
Conclusion
Having your business phone number flagged as “Spam Likely” can severely impact your operations. However, it’s still a solvable problem, utilising the various techniques outlined in this article. You’ll need to validate your number’s status online, directly test it, and be proactive about the solution. When done correctly, you can rebuild trust and ensure that your essential calls are answered.
