My Number is Flagged–Now What?

When flags arise, here’s what you should know, expect and do

How You’re Notified

When a flag is detected on your ARMORⓇ-protected numbers, we’ll notify you in 3 ways:

1. You’ll receive an email
2. You’ll receive an in-product notification
3. Your number inventory page will show which numbers are flagged by which carriers

The ARMOR® Team is On It

Anytime we alert you of a flag, the ARMOR® team is working behind the scenes to address it. We coordinate directly with carrier analytics providers to request removal, provide supporting data, and negotiate as needed. Once we have confirmation that the flag is cleared, you’ll be notified in the same ways you were alerted of the flag.

How Long Do Resolutions Take?

Each analytics provider operates on its own timeline, and response times vary due to the bandwidth of their respective teams. Here’s what to expect:

• Typical resolution: 1–3 business days
• Delays do happen: 5–7 days or longer, especially during high-volume periods
• No response ≠ no progress: Flags are often removed silently, without a formal reply

Delays are usually due to backlogs at the carrier’s analytics provider—not resistance. Follow-ups can slow things down further, but rest assured that we proactively engage when it’s sensible to do so.

Brand New Numbers are Often Flagged

It may seem counterintuitive, but new numbers are frequently flagged at the outset. Why? The common spammer/spoofer tactic of cycling through large volumes of phone numbers briefly  before moving on, means that analytics providers naturally distrust new or recently activated numbers—especially those that go from dormant to high-volume usage overnight.

Conversely, they trust registered numbers (we handle this for you) with consistent usage and natural call behaviors. As you purchase and begin to use new numbers, please keep this in mind. The best way to mitigate flags on new numbers is to ramp up usage gradually, allowing carriers a few days to begin to recognize your calls as legitimate.

New number flags often resolve on their own through natural use and healthy call patterns. If needed, the ARMOR® team can assist by escalating false flags with the carriers on your behalf.

Should I Pause My Flagged Number(s)?

Whether you should continue to use or pause your flagged number depends on several factors:

• If you have multiple dialing numbers, it may be a good option to pause the flagged one until the issue is resolved. However, if it's your only number, that may not be realistic—and continuing to dial at a consistent rate can actually be beneficial. Steady usage signals to carriers that your calls are part of normal, legitimate activity.
• Check the ARMOR® Call Performance Dashboard for recent call volume. If volume has been near zero, the spam label may be a false positive tied to inactivity. In this case, maintaining regular dialing may help restore your reputation.
• Also check answer rates before and after the flag appeared. If answer rates haven’t changed, the flag may be isolated and not impacting performance. But if answer rates have dropped—especially to AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile numbers—you may want to pause usage temporarily. Keep in mind that flags often affect only a portion of your traffic, and performance on other carriers may remain stable.

We generally do not recommend replacing a number completely unless all attempts at flag neutralization have failed.

You Didn’t Alert Me, But Someone Else Did. Why?

Each carrier uses its own third-party service to manage reputation. Flags are applied independently and may show on one carrier, but not the rest. Flags can be location-specific. And they can come and go. Flags may be isolated and appear before the data aggregators that power the monitoring capabilities can process and warn of the flag. By having ARMOR® you can put your mind at ease as we will monitor and react on your behalf to all confirmed flags.

Rejections, Repeated and Persistent Flags

Most flags resolve within a few days. But in some cases, analytics providers may deny removal—or re-flag a number—especially when they’ve received customer reports or gathered evidence suggesting the calls are unwanted.

When that happens, ARMOR® can advocate on your behalf. We’ll review call patterns, context, and outcomes to make the case that the flag is based on incomplete or misleading data. If needed, we’ll collaborate with your team to demonstrate that your outreach is legitimate and expected.

🧠 While we can’t override carrier decisions, we’ll always take every reasonable step to push for a fair outcome.

I Still Have Questions

We’re here for you. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to support@phoneburner.com.