What is the Caller ID verification policy?

Why does PhoneBurner require Caller ID verification?

When you add a phone number as your Caller ID, we ask you to verify that you own it or are authorized to use it. Here's why that matters.

It helps protect your answer rates. PhoneBurner routes your calls through our carrier partners, who digitally sign each call using a system called STIR/SHAKEN. That signature tells the recipient's carrier how confident our carrier is that the call is legitimate. There are three levels:

• Full (A) Attestation: The carrier knows the caller and has verified their right to use the number.
• Partial (B) Attestation: The carrier knows the caller but hasn't verified the specific number.
• Gateway (C) Attestation: The carrier originated the call but can't authenticate the source.

Calls without A or B attestation are more likely to be flagged as spam or blocked entirely. When you verify your number with PhoneBurner, we can confirm to our carriers that you control it, which helps your calls receive B-level attestation at minimum. PhoneBurner numbers registered through our platform can receive A or B attestation.

It protects you and your contacts. Caller ID spoofing (displaying a number you don't own) is a tactic used by scammers and the FCC and FTC have rules against it. Verification keeps your account on the right side of those rules and protects the people you're calling from fraudulent activity.

It protects the PhoneBurner platform. When we are able to confirm that everyone on our platform is using numbers they own or are authorized to use, it strengthens the reputation of all calls made through PhoneBurner. That benefits every user.

A quick note on how this works. PhoneBurner is a software platform, not a phone carrier. We don't sign calls directly. Instead, we route your calls through our carrier partners, who handle the STIR/SHAKEN authentication. Our caller ID verification process helps give our carriers what they need to properly vouch for your calls. 

If you have a phone number you're authorized to use but are having trouble verifying it through this process, reach out to our support team at support@phoneburner.com.

For more details on how STIR/SHAKEN works and how PhoneBurner participates, check out our STIR/SHAKEN overview.