Understanding Spam Call Labeling and Honeit’s Mitigation Efforts
Potential Issue: Why Calls Get Marked as Spam
Carrier Algorithms
Each telecom carrier uses its own proprietary spam detection algorithms to analyze call behavior. These systems monitor patterns such as call volume, answer rates, call duration, and user complaints to determine if a number appears suspicious.
Number Reputation
Every phone number has a reputation score based on how it's been used—both historically and in real time. Although all new numbers provisioned for Honeit are thoroughly vetted before assignment (including quarantine periods and internal checks to remove numbers with known reputational issues), reputation is dynamic. Carriers analyze real-world usage over time. If a number consistently results in short or unanswered calls, rapid dialing patterns, or user complaints, it may be flagged. In short: even a clean number can develop a poor reputation if used in a way that resembles spam activity.
Two Types of Spam Labeling
Caller ID Labeling: The call may go through, but the recipient’s device may show a warning like “Spam Likely” or “Potential Spam,” depending on their carrier and settings.
Call Blocking: Some carriers may block the call entirely. In these cases, the caller may hear a generic failure message such as “The call cannot be completed as dialed,” with no indication that the issue is spam-related.
Honeit’s Mitigation Efforts
Verified Business Caller Setup Using Industry Best Practices
All phone numbers used by Honeit are tied to a verified business entity. This includes registration of the legal business name, address, tax identification, and industry classification.
Caller ID names (via CNAM registration) are submitted where supported, so that recipients see a generic business or individual identifier associated with the number—not an anonymous or mismatched caller.
Outbound calls are authenticated using STIR/SHAKEN protocols, ensuring that recipients’ carriers can verify the call is coming from a legitimate source and has not been spoofed. When available, Honeit ensures highest-level (“A”) attestation for maximum trust.
Caller ID Customization
Honeit allows users to verify and use their own personal or business phone numbers as the caller ID. These are typically recognized by recipients and may already carry a positive reputation, improving call answer rates and minimizing risk of spam labeling. Learn how to set up caller-ID here.
Ongoing Monitoring and Response
We monitor call performance and user feedback across our platform. If a number becomes compromised or starts getting labeled as spam, we can rotate it out, replace it with a new vetted number, or escalate to upstream providers for remediation.
Responsible Call Usage
We advise customers to maintain realistic, consistent call patterns—avoiding burst dialing, robo-like sequences, or immediate hang-ups—to preserve the number’s reputation over time.
Best Practices to Improve Call Deliverability
To further reduce the risk of spam labeling and call blocking, we recommend the following:
Have Recipients Save the Number
If you plan to engage with a contact more than once, encourage them to save your number in their phone. Saved contacts are far less likely to be flagged or blocked.
Send a Text First
When appropriate, consider sending a brief SMS message before calling—especially for first-time outreach. If the recipient engages with your message, carriers are more likely to see your number as wanted and legitimate, improving reputation. Learn how to send texts from Honeit here.
Be Human and Consistent
Calls that mimic spam patterns—short duration, repeated dialing, or sudden spikes—are more likely to be flagged. Use voicemail and don’t retry immediately if a call goes unanswered.
Disclaimer
While Honeit follows all telecom best practices and maintains a clean, compliant caller infrastructure, carriers ultimately control how calls are classified. Ongoing reputation is driven by real-world usage and recipient behavior.