Outbound calls from your Aircall number may sometimes appear as Spam, Spam Likely, or Scam Likely on the recipient’s caller ID, or may be blocked entirely. This article explains why spam flagging occurs and what you can do to reduce the likelihood of your numbers being flagged.

What is a spam call

A spam call is a call made from a number that has been flagged as suspicious by any of the following:

  • Phone carriers
  • Phone operating systems such as iOS or Android
  • Phone apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or Viber

When a number is flagged, recipients may see warnings on their caller ID or may not receive the call at all.

Why spam flagging and call blocking exist

Spam flagging is designed to protect consumers against:

  • Robocalling: High-volume, short-duration calls originating from a single number.
  • Illegal calls: Calls that violate local or international regulations.
  • Unwanted calls: Calls made without the recipient’s consent.

To reduce these types of calls, regulators and major phone carriers require caller ID authentication and apply filtering rules based on calling behavior.

Sources of spam flagging and call blocking

Spam flags can originate from several different sources.

Flagging by consumers

  • Consumers can report numbers to their carrier as suspicious or spam.
  • Consumers may use apps such as Nomorobo or Robokiller to identify or block spam calls.
  • Consumers can block all calls from numbers not included in their contacts or an allow list.

Flagging by carriers

  • Receiving carriers, and in rare cases the originating carrier, may flag or block numbers based on call patterns.
  • Common triggers include high call volumes or a high percentage of unanswered calls.

Flagging by operating systems or apps

Some devices and apps maintain their own spam databases, including: Truecaller, Hiya, Whoscall, Robokiller, Youmail, CallApp.

These services may flag numbers automatically based on reported activity or public complaint data.

How spam is identified by consumers

Most smartphones include built-in systems or third-party integrations that analyze incoming calls against known databases. Consumers can also manually install apps that display spam warnings or rely on public complaint databases such as: Truecaller, Hiya, Whoscall, Robokiller, Youmail, CallApp.

How Aircall can help

Aircall does not have direct control over spam databases or the removal of spam labels. However, we can recommend strategies to improve your answer rates and reduce the likelihood of spam flagging.

These include:

  • Reviewing call patterns to identify high volumes or short calls.
  • Registering your numbers with third-party reputation services.
  • Adjusting calling behavior to reduce unanswered or very short calls.
  • Distributing call volume across multiple numbers when appropriate.
Important: Aircall cannot remove spam labels from carrier or third-party databases. Removal decisions are made solely by the relevant carriers or spam detection services.

Behaviors that may increase spam flagging

The following behaviors are commonly associated with spam detection:

  • Very high call volume (for example, more than 20,000 calls per month from a single company).
  • Short calls, typically under 50 seconds.
  • A high volume of unanswered calls.
  • Use of pre-recorded messages.
  • Automatic or predictive dialing.
  • Missed calls that are not returned.

Best practices when calling

Adopting the following best practices can help reduce spam flags and improve call answer rates.

Reduce call volume per number

  • Split call volume across two or three different numbers if you make a large number of outbound calls.
  • Avoid calling the same number multiple times in a single day.

Reduce short and unanswered calls

  • Avoid calling at times that are likely to result in immediate hang-ups.
  • Leave a voicemail explaining who you are and why you are calling.
  • Increase callback rates by clearly sharing your contact details.

Improve consent and targeting

  • Avoid calling people listed in national Do Not Call registries, such as the US registry:
    https://telemarketing.donotcall.gov/profile/Create.aspx
  • Prioritize calling qualified leads or contacts who have opted in to receive communications.
  • Use a personalized welcome message so returned calls clearly identify your business.
Tip: Carefully choosing the time of day you contact customers can significantly improve answer rates and reduce spam complaints.

Register your numbers with reputation services

Major carriers rely on specific third-party services to identify and label spam calls. Registering your numbers helps associate them with your business and improves their reputation.

Common registration services include:

Note: Aircall Support has no control over records managed by these services. If you experience issues during registration, contact the relevant provider directly.

Helpful resources