Why are calls from my number(s) marked as Spam/Spam Likely?

Mobile carriers are currently marking phone numbers as a Spam or Spam Likely in the attempts to root out actual spam calls, which have become a huge issue lately.

There are no transparent and universal criteria to determine whether a number is likely to be spam, different carriers use their own algorithms, and they are constantly being updated. However, the most common reasons for numbers to get marked as Spam/Spam Likely are the following:

• Call recipients manually label calls as spam with their carriers;

• Automated triggers are met, such as:

  - Inconsistent call volume from a specific number, with large spikes in calls for a short period of time;

  - A high number of short calls, i.e., just a few seconds long, or calls going straight to voicemail;

• Dialing the same number multiple times consecutively, or too many times on the same day.

If a phone number is incorrectly marked as Spam or Spam Likely, the end user can submit a request with the major US carriers to change their decision at the following links:

• AT&T

• T-Mobile

• Verizon

Additionally, you can register your numbers with the Free Caller Registry, which is the resource the carriers refer to in order to confirm whether a phone number is used legitimately.