Why Are My Calls Showing as “Spam” or “Scam
At Techmode, we understand how important it is for your calls to reach customers without disruption. When legitimate business calls are labeled as “Spam Likely” or “Scam,” it can impact answer rates, customer trust, and day-to-day operations.
This guide explains why call labeling happens and how to reduce the risk.
Why do legitimate business calls get labeled as spam?
Mobile carriers and call-screening applications use analytics to protect consumers from fraud and unwanted robocalls. These systems look for patterns commonly associated with abusive traffic, including:
- High outbound call volumes
- Repeated calls to the same numbers
- Short, unanswered, or abandoned calls
When calls match these patterns, carriers may apply labels such as “Spam Likely,” “Telemarketer,” or “Fraud Likely.”
The challenge is that many legitimate business calls—such as appointment reminders, school notifications, customer follow-ups, and opt-in alerts—can look similar when analyzed at scale. Even compliant, expected calls may occasionally be mislabeled.
Does this mean my Caller ID Name (CNAM) is incorrect?
Not necessarily.
Spam or scam labels are separate from Caller ID Name (CNAM). These labels do not replace or modify your registered CNAM. Once a label is removed, your Caller ID should display normally.
That said, Techmode strongly recommends keeping your CNAM accurate, consistent, and recognizable. A clear Caller ID name helps recipients trust your calls and can reduce the chance they mark your call as spam.
How Techmode customers can reduce the risk of call mislabeling
There is no guaranteed way to prevent call labeling entirely, but customers can take several proactive steps to significantly reduce risk.
- Register your business phone numbers
U.S. mobile carriers allow businesses to voluntarily register their outbound calling use cases. Registration helps (but does not guarantee) carriers recognize legitimate traffic and reduce incorrect labeling.
Major carriers rely on third-party analytics providers that operate the Free Caller Registry, a shared portal where businesses can submit phone numbers and business details.
After registration:
- Information is reviewed by carrier analytics teams
- Approved changes may take several days to apply
- Registration does not guarantee calls will never be labeled, but it lowers the risk
- Set clear expectations with your customers
One of the strongest drivers of call labeling is consumer feedback. When recipients are surprised by a call, they’re more likely to flag it.
Techmode recommends:
- Obtaining clear consent before calling
- Letting customers know when and how often you will call
- Calling from consistent, recognizable phone numbers
- Encouraging customers to save your number in their contacts
- Using a Caller ID name customers recognize
- Clearly identifying your business and call purpose at the beginning of each call or voicemail
- Providing an easy opt-out option so customers don’t mark calls as spam
- Be cautious with newly assigned phone numbers
New phone numbers are more likely to be mislabeled because carriers have little or no call history associated with them. Fraudulent callers often rotate through unused numbers, which leads to increased scrutiny.
Techmode best practices include:
- Avoiding high-volume calling from brand-new numbers
- Gradually ramping call activity
- Reserving new numbers for lower-risk communications initially
If you’re launching new numbers or campaigns, following these best practices reduces your chances of being marked as spam but does not guarantee that calls won’t be blocked.
- Avoid calling patterns that increase risk
Even legitimate calls may be flagged if they show patterns such as:
- Sudden spikes or large swings in call volume
- Calls placed outside normal business hours for recipients
- Frequent repeat calls to the same number
- A high percentage of very short calls (six seconds or less)
- Low average call duration
- High rates of unanswered or abandoned calls
Carriers evaluate multiple factors together—not just one signal—when applying call labels.
What should I do if my calls are already labeled?
If you believe your calls are being mislabeled, identify the mobile carrier used by the recipient who saw the label. Each carrier provides a review process:
- AT&T (Hiya): www.att.com/reviewmycalllabel
- T-Mobile (First Orion): https://callreporting.t-mobile.com/
- Verizon (TNS): www.voicespamfeedback.com or communications@tnsi.com
If you’re unsure where to start or need help gathering information, Techmode Concierge Support can assist you by walking you through the process and recommending next steps.
