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Customer Advisory |
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| Voice Services |
| “Spam” & “Scam Likely” Labels |
| Understanding why calls get flagged and how to fix it |
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In This Guide
1. What Are Spam Labels?
2. Why It Happens
3. Register Your Numbers
4. T-Mobile Specifics
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5. Verizon Specifics
6. Samsung / Hiya Smart Call
7. Carrier Contact Directory
8. Important Disclaimers
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| Overview |
| 1. What Are “Spam” or “Scam Likely” Labels? |
| When a call is displayed as Spam, Scam Likely, or Potential Spam on the recipient's phone, it means a carrier or call-analytics provider has flagged the calling number as potentially unwanted, malicious, or fraudulent. |
| These labels are applied by third-party systems that score every call in real time. The scoring considers factors such as call volume, call patterns, number reputation, and whether the number has been reported by other recipients. |
| Why Register Your Business Numbers with A Company Liked Caller ID ReputationLegitimate business calls can be incorrectly flagged. If your numbers are being labeled, the steps in this guide will help you resolve the issue. Why Register Your Business Numbers with A Company Liked Caller ID Reputation
Registering your business telephone numbers with third-party analytics providers, such as Caller ID Reputation, can play a key role in maintaining accurate caller identification and protecting your outbound call traffic from being incorrectly classified as spam.
Mobile carriers and their analytics partners evaluate multiple factors when determining how an inbound call should be presented to the end user. These can include the calling number, call patterns, historical reputation, STIR/SHAKEN authentication, customer reports, and other proprietary analytics.
Registering your numbers provides the analytics provider with additional information that establishes the numbers as legitimate business-owned numbers and associates them with your business identity and intended calling activity. This can help analytics systems distinguish legitimate business traffic from suspected robocalling or unwanted calls.
Registration does not guarantee that calls will never be labeled as spam, and it does not directly control how a carrier or mobile device displays a call. However, maintaining accurate registration and business information gives third-party analytics providers additional data to use when evaluating your numbers and can help reduce erroneous spam classifications.
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| Background |
| 2. Why Legitimate Calls Get Flagged |
| The FCC has tightened rules around illegal robocalls and spam calls. Voice providers are now required to use call-authentication technology (STIR/SHAKEN) and actively monitor their networks for suspicious activity. |
| This is good for consumers, but it also means stricter filtering across the board. Sometimes legitimate calls get caught in the net when they don't fully meet authentication or reputation standards. |
- High call volume from a single number can trigger automated flags
- New or recently ported numbers may not yet have an established reputation
- Unanswered calls — a high ratio of unanswered calls can lower a number's reputation score
- CNAM not configured — numbers without an Outbound Caller ID name are more likely to be flagged
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| Number Registration |
| 3. Register Your Numbers |
| The most effective step you can take is registering your business numbers with the major call-analytics providers. This establishes your numbers as legitimate and reduces the likelihood of spam labeling. |
| Free Caller Registry (recommended first step) |
| The Free Caller Registry allows you to register your numbers with First Orion, Hiya, and TNS in a single submission. |
| www.freecallerregistry.com |
| NoteRegistration through Free Caller Registry is temporary and must be renewed every 180 days. Hiya recommends also registering directly with each provider for a more permanent solution. |
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| Register directly with each provider |
| For longer-lasting registration, contact each analytics provider individually: |
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| Carrier-Specific Guidance |
| 4. T-Mobile |
| T-Mobile uses a very aggressive spam filter. If your calls are being blocked or labeled for T-Mobile customers specifically, the recipient can manage this on their own device. |
| Scam Block dial codes |
| T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers can use the following dial codes from their handset: |
| Action | Dial Code |
| Disable Scam Block | #632# |
| Enable Scam Block | #662# |
| Check Status | #787# |
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| ImportantThese dial codes are specific to T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers only. Scam Block may occasionally block legitimate calls, which is why the option to disable it exists. Note that Scam Block does not filter calls from anonymous or unknown numbers. |
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| For additional information, visit T-Mobile's spam and call-blocking support page. |
| To report a mislabeled number directly to T-Mobile / First Orion: Report Improperly Identified Calls on the T-Mobile support site. |
| 5. Verizon |
| Verizon maintains its own spam-detection system. If your calls are being incorrectly identified or blocked on Verizon's network, you can report the issue directly. |
| Submit mislabeled-call reports at: www.voicespamfeedback.com |
| STIR/SHAKEN authentication and Call Filter spam scoring are two separate mechanisms. STIR/SHAKEN attestation verifies that the caller ID is authentic and not spoofed; it does not bypass or disable carrier spam filters. Even when a call arrives with valid Level “A” attestation, cell carriers like Verizon’s Call Filter evaluate the number’s reputation score and calling behavior analytics. If the number’s reputation profile is flagged as potential spam, Call Filter will apply the subscriber’s filtering preferences (tagging as Potential Spam or routing to voicemail). |
| 6. Samsung Phones — Hiya Smart Call |
| Samsung devices use a built-in feature called Smart Call, powered by Hiya. This feature independently labels calls on Samsung handsets, even if the carrier has not flagged the number. |
| If your business number is being flagged specifically on Samsung devices, register your number directly with Hiya through the Hiya support portal or via the Free Caller Registry. |
| Reference |
| 7. Carrier & Provider Contact Directory |
| If your business phone number has been incorrectly flagged, submit a correction request directly to the responsible carrier or call-analytics provider listed below. |
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| Disclaimers |
| 8. Important Information |
Please Note
FirstDigital does not control spam labeling decisions made by third-party carriers or call-analytics providers.
FirstDigital cannot submit spam label removal requests on behalf of customers.
Spam labeling reviews must be requested directly through the responsible carrier or analytics provider.
Resolution timelines vary by organization, and FirstDigital does not have visibility into their review processes or expected completion dates.
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| FirstDigital · Customer Advisory · Voice Services |
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