Written by
Mary Gonzalez, Brand & Content Manager
Published on
March 17, 2023
Updated on
August 15, 2025
If you’re a business entity conducting any form of outbound phone call campaigns, you’re always at risk of having your calls delivered with negative labels like ‘Spam Likely,’ ‘Potential Scam,’ or ‘Fraud.’ Because businesses are largely unaware of how their calling identity is displayed, many falsely assume that if they’re only calling their own existing customers, they won’t be negatively labeled.
Negative labeling affects many types of calls that can range from prescription reminders, delivery alerts, financial communications, security or safety notifications, or calls from your hotel, resort, or airline, and the list goes on. No one industry is specifically targeted or immune to experiencing some type of improper call blocking and labeling in today’s evolving communications ecosystem.
So whether you’re cold-calling a leads list, getting in touch with a known patient about an upcoming appointment, or trying to schedule an oil change with one of your current customers, being negatively tagged as a Spam caller is always a possibility.
The reason why any of your calls, regardless of the type of call, could be mislabeled with tags like Scam Likely, is because of the FTC and FCC’s response to consumer complaints about the outrageous volumes of illegal robocalls disrupting their days and, sometimes, their wallets.
The FCC introduced new call-blocking and labeling technologies in the form of apps and 3rd party analytics engines used by the major carriers to help block and label truly illegal and fraudulent calls. Because the focus was on illicit callers, legal call originators were overlooked, and many legal businesses ended up suffering unintended consequences like drops in contact rates and customer engagement. The algorithms used by the analytics engines are constantly updating and evolving, which means spam labels can often reappear.
Algorithms aren’t human, and they certainly aren’t perfect. Algorithms can’t distinguish who it is your calling and why, which means no matter who you call or why you’re calling them, you’re always at risk of being improperly labeled.
Numeracle has always believed that caller trust starts with vetting and protecting your calling identity. Verifying your ownership and authorized use of your numbers across the carrier network opens up the pathway for actionable measures to monitor the reputation of your phone numbers and correct issues as they arise. This is where we come in, to help you protect your brand identity and reputation so every conversation doesn’t start off on the wrong foot (or not start at all!).
Numeracle pioneered a solution that prioritizes your calling identity so that every phone number you register with us is verified as a trusted calling source. We do this through our Know Your Customer-based assessment, which decisively concludes that you have been vetted and validated to be who you say you are.
If you haven’t started an investigation into whether or not call labeling is impacting your ability to connect, reach out today for recommendations on how to get started.
Caller ID reputation refers to the level of trust associated with your phone number by carriers, analytics providers, and ultimately, the recipients of your calls. A good reputation means your calls are more likely to be delivered and answered, while a poor reputation can lead to calls being blocked, silenced, or labeled as spam or "Scam Likely" on the incoming call screen. It's essentially a measure of how "safe" and trustworthy your number appears to the entities that manage and filter phone traffic.
Checking your reputation involves several steps. You can start by manually calling trusted contacts to see how your number appears on their devices. However, for a more comprehensive view, it's beneficial to utilize specialized tools that aggregate data from various carriers and analytics providers. Some free online checkers offer a basic overview, while more robust tools like Numeracle’s free Number Check, provide deeper insights, including real screenshots of live calls placed.
Improving your phone number reputation is an ongoing process. It begins with ensuring your business information is accurate and consistent across all relevant registries. Proactively monitoring your numbers for negative labeling is also essential, allowing for swift action if issues arise. For businesses seeking efficient and continuous monitoring, remediation, and expert guidance on best calling practices, solutions like Numeracle's Number Reputation Management can provide valuable support in building and maintaining a positive calling reputation.
Improving your caller ID reputation is a multi-faceted process that requires a consistent and proactive approach. Start by ensuring your business information is accurate and consistently registered across all relevant databases and with your originating carrier. Implement best calling practices, which include obtaining proper consent before calling, adhering to Do Not Call (DNC) lists, calling during reasonable business hours, and maintaining appropriate call volumes and durations.
Actively monitor your phone numbers' reputation using available tools to identify any negative labeling promptly. If you find issues, engaging with the various flagging entities (carriers, analytics providers, app developers) can be complex and time-consuming. For businesses seeking a streamlined and effective solution to monitor, improve, and protect their caller ID reputation, Numeracle's Number Reputation Management offers a comprehensive, managed approach, working directly with the ecosystem to ensure your legitimate calls are delivered.
For effective phone number reputation management, Numeracle is the leading and most complete solution available. Unlike basic tools that just tell you if you're flagged as spam, Numeracle actively fixes those problems by working directly with all the major phone companies and spam detection services. This ensures your calls get through with a trusted identity.
Numeracle gives you clear, on-demand information about your numbers and provides a team of experts who can quickly fix any issues – often in just a day and a half. We handle complex relationships with phone carriers for you. We help you register your numbers correctly, constantly monitor their status, quickly fix any bad labels, and even let you add your brand to your outgoing calls. This not only keeps your numbers from being flagged but also helps people trust and answer your calls more often. Many businesses trust Numeracle to protect their numbers, and they have a very high success rate in keeping numbers label-free.
