Zoom Phone Spam Field Guide

Introduction

This document is designed to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of how spam call protection works in Zoom Phone. Spam calls can disrupt business operations and reduce productivity, but Zoom Phone offers multiple layers of protection to identify, block, and remediate spam calls across your organization.

Understanding spam protection is essential for maintaining communication quality and ensuring legitimate calls reach your users while unwanted calls are filtered out. This guide covers how spam detection works, configuration options for admins, user-level controls, monitoring capabilities, and solutions for when your outbound calls are incorrectly tagged as spam by other carriers.

How to Use this Document

This document is organized to provide information in a logical flow that makes understanding spam protection easier. Throughout this document, we have structured content in several ways:

Role-based organization: Separate sections for administrators who configure account-wide settings and users who manage their own spam blocking preferences.

Task-based sections: Content is organized by what you need to accomplish: Understanding Spam Protection, Configuring Protection, Managing User Settings, Monitoring Activity, and Troubleshooting.

Statement-answer format: Common questions and issues are presented as statements describing your situation, followed by comprehensive answers and solutions.

For example, when you see "My outbound calls are being tagged as spam by recipients," you immediately know this section addresses your situation, and the answer provides the exact steps to resolve the issue. We've included detailed configuration options, step-by-step procedures, and comprehensive troubleshooting guidance to give you the most complete information available.

Links to relevant support articles are provided throughout to give you access to the most current instructions for each process.

What You Need to Know Before Enabling Spam Protection

Prerequisites

For Administrators:

• Account owner or admin privileges

• Pro, Business, or Enterprise account

• Zoom Phone calling plan

• Zoom Phone licenses

For Users:

• Business or Enterprise account

• Zoom Phone license

• Zoom Workplace desktop app for Windows, macOS, or Linux (Global minimum version or higher)

• Zoom Workplace mobile app for Android or iOS (Global minimum version or higher)

• Spam Protection enabled by admin

Key Spam Protection Concepts

Auto-mark Spam

Zoom Phone can automatically analyze inbound calls and tag potential spam calls based on global industry standards. This feature is enabled by default for Enterprise accounts and uses call analytics to identify spam patterns without requiring manual intervention.

Manual-mark Spam

Admins can define thresholds where the system automatically marks phone numbers as spam based on how many users have reported them. This creates a collaborative spam detection system where user reports contribute to organization-wide protection.

Spam Sensitivity Levels

Zoom offers three sensitivity levels for automatic spam detection: Low Sensitivity: Marks calls as spam with definite certainty Medium Sensitivity: Marks calls as spam with moderate certainty High Sensitivity: Marks calls as spam with strong certainty

Spam vs. Maybe Spam

The system distinguishes between definite spam (marked as "SPAM") and potential spam (marked as "Maybe SPAM") based on confidence levels and user reports.

Handling Options

When a call or SMS is identified as spam, admins can choose how to handle it. For both calls and SMS, admins can block the number entirely or mark without blocking, which allows the call or SMS through and labels it as spam. There are call and SMS specific actions listed below:

• Calls:

  • Forward to voicemail/videomail

• SMS:

  • Disable sending or receiving attachments

  • Disable hyperlinks

  • Screen phishing links

Different Types of Spam Protection

Inbound Spam Protection

Protects your users from receiving unwanted calls by identifying and blocking spam callers. This includes both auto-detection and user-reported spam.

Outbound Spam Remediation

Protects your organization's reputation by monitoring your phone numbers for spam tags applied by other carriers and automatically working to remove those tags.

Enterprise Spam Registration

Allows organizations to register their business information and phone numbers with major U.S. carriers to improve caller ID reputation and reduce the likelihood of legitimate calls being tagged as spam.

Additional Resources and How to Configure

• Admin guide for Zoom Phone Spam

• User guide for Zoom Phone Spam

• Viewing the Zoom Phone Spam dashboard

• Outbound calls blocked or tagged as spam

• Enabling spam tag remediation

• Managing Enterprise spam labeling registration

For additional support or questions not covered in this guide, please contact Zoom Phone support through the web portal or visit our support documentation.

Monitoring Spam Activity

Accessing the Spam Dashboard

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin.

2. In the navigation menu, click Dashboard.

3. At the top of the page, click the Phone tab.

   1. Note: If the Phone tab isn't visible, click the ellipsis (...), then click Phone to access the tab.

4. Click the Spam tab.

   1. (Optional) At the top of the page, filter the dashboard.

5. Select the date range you want to view.

6. Click the dropdown and select the Spam Auto-mark Sensitivity level.

Important: The sensitivity filter on the dashboard page does not change your settings in Account Settings. It only filters the data displayed on the dashboard.

Understanding Dashboard Metrics

Key Metrics (displayed at the top of the page):

• Spam: Number of direct calls to users marked as Spam by either auto-mark or manual-mark feature, including the percentage of inbound calls (excludes Wrongly Marked Spam)

• Maybe Spam: Number of direct calls marked as Maybe Spam, including the percentage of inbound calls (excludes Wrongly Marked Spam)

• Inbound PSTN Calls: Total direct PSTN calls to users, with date range change indicator

• Unique Callers: Unique count of inbound phone numbers making direct PSTN calls to users, with date range change indicator

Reviewing the Inbound Calls Chart

The Inbound Calls section displays a chart showing the volume of direct PSTN calls categorized over time:

• Spam

• Maybe Spam

• Not Spam

• Wrongly Marked Spam (calls marked as spam by auto-mark but marked as Not Spam by users)

Hover your cursor over the chart to view specific dates and percentages for each category.

Analyzing the Top 100 Impacted Phone Numbers

This section shows the top 100 phone numbers in your organization that have received the most spam and maybe spam calls.

Information displayed:

• Phone number

• Total calls received

• Spam calls received

• Maybe spam calls received

• User or extension assigned to the number

Use this data to identify which users are most affected by spam calls and may need additional protection measures.

Analyzing the Top 100 Spam Callers

This section shows the top 100 callers who were tagged as spam or maybe spam.

Information displayed:

• Caller phone number

• Total calls made

• Auto-mark spam for calls status

• Manual mark status

• Number of calls made

Use this data to identify persistent spam callers and verify that your spam detection is working correctly.

Outbound Spam Protection

Why Your Outbound Calls May Be Tagged as Spam

When you make outbound calls from Zoom Phone, your calls may be blocked or tagged as spam by the receiving party's phone service or carrier. This happens because carriers are increasingly implementing call-blocking programs to protect consumers against abusive robocalls. If your account has erroneous spam tagging, see our section on Spam Tag Remediation.

Common reasons your calls are tagged as spam:

• High-volume, short-duration calls: U.S. carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile block or tag calls that follow robocalling patterns

• Third-party database services: The receiving party may use services like Nomorobo that have your number flagged

• Third-party phone service filters: The receiver may have filters blocking certain number prefixes

• Lack of caller ID registration: Your business information isn't registered with carriers and analytics providers

Proactively Allowing Your Numbers with U.S. Carriers

If you make frequent, legitimate outbound calls (such as appointment reminders), you can proactively register your numbers to prevent them from being categorized as spam.

U.S. Carriers to Contact:

• Hiya

• TNS

• Sprint

• T-Mobile

Robocall Database Services to Contact:

• Nomorobo

• YouMail

Analytics Providers:

• Call Transparency

• Free Caller Registry (helps reach analytics providers that support major U.S. carriers)

Contact these organizations directly to request that your phone number be allowed and provide information about your legitimate business use.

Spam Tag Remediation

The spam tag remediation feature automatically monitors your phone numbers for spam tags applied by other carriers and works to remove them.

Requirements:

• Zoom Contact Center Premium or Elite license or Zoom Phone license with Zoom Auto Dialer add-on

• Zoom Spam Monitoring and Remediation SKU (unless using Contact Center Outbound Dialer)

• Completion and approval of Spam Tag Remediation enrollment form

• Supports both native and BYOC numbers

Limitations: Currently available only in the United States (phone numbers with +1 country code)

Understanding the Remediation Process

Once numbers are enrolled, they will display an updated spam status indicator in the admin portal. When a number is detected as spam:

1. You'll see inline alerts in several locations in the admin portal

2. The automatic remediation process starts immediately

3. The process usually takes 1-2 days (may take longer for regulatory disputes)

4. No manual action is required from you

5. If successful, the spam label is automatically removed

For Zoom Contact Center: With automatic caller ID matching, spam-flagged numbers are skipped during the caller ID matching process. Once the spam tag is removed, the number becomes eligible again. However, if a spam-tagged number is configured as the default caller ID, it will not be skipped by the default caller ID matching rule.

Troubleshooting and FAQ

My outbound calls are being blocked or tagged as spam by recipients

Start by identifying which carrier or service is blocking your calls, then contact them directly to request allowlisting. Provide documentation of your legitimate business use to support your request. For long-term solutions, complete Enterprise Spam Labeling Registration to register your business with major carriers and enable Spam Tag Remediation to automatically monitor and remove spam tags. Follow best practices for outbound calling by avoiding high-volume, short-duration call patterns.

Too many spam calls are reaching my users

Verify that Spam Protection is enabled at the account level and adjust the Spam Filter Level to a higher sensitivity. Encourage users to mark spam calls, which helps improve the system's accuracy over time. Review the Top 100 Spam Callers in the dashboard to identify persistent offenders and consider changing call handling to Block this number or Forward to voicemail. For heavily impacted users, enable Call Screening, which requires external callers to press a button to connect.

Legitimate calls are being incorrectly marked as spam

Have users mark the numbers as Not Spam from their call history or voicemail and adjust the Manual mark NOT SPAM threshold to a lower number. Lower the Spam Filter Level sensitivity to reduce false positives. Add the numbers to user or company contacts, then enable Exclude user and company contacts from Spam Protection. Review the Wrongly Marked Spam metric in the dashboard regularly to assess how often this occurs.

I need to view spam activity for a specific time period

Access the Spam Dashboard by navigating to Dashboard > Phone > Spam in your admin portal. At the top of the page, select your desired date range to filter the data. Review the Inbound Calls chart to see trends over time and identify patterns. Export data if needed for reporting purposes.

A specific phone number keeps calling despite being blocked

Verify the number is in the spam number list by checking Account Settings > Spam Protection > Manage Number List. Confirm the call handling is set to Block this number rather than just Mark without Block. Check if the caller is using number spoofing or rotating through multiple numbers. Consider blocking the entire area code or prefix if appropriate, and report persistent spam callers to your local authorities if they're harassing or threatening.

Spam tags aren't appearing on my calls

Verify Spam Protection is enabled in Account Settings and confirm you have a Business or Enterprise account. Check that your phone numbers are U.S. or Canadian numbers, since auto-mark only works for +1 numbers. Ensure users have the minimum required Zoom Workplace app version and allow time for the system to learn spam patterns.

My outbound numbers may have spam tags applied to them

Go to Number Management > Phone Numbers > Related Features > Spam Tag Remediation to check your numbers' status. Review the spam status indicator for each enrolled number and look for inline alerts indicating spam detection. Monitor the automatic remediation process status to see if Zoom is actively working to remove tags. Without Spam Tag Remediation, you may not know your numbers are tagged unless recipients inform you.

I don't understand the difference between auto-mark and manual-mark spam

Auto-mark spam uses call analytics and global industry standards to automatically identify spam without user input. It's available only for U.S. and Canadian numbers, offers three sensitivity levels, and works immediately upon enablement. Manual-mark spam is based on user reports and defined thresholds, requiring users to actively mark numbers as spam. It creates organization-specific spam lists and overrides auto-mark settings when thresholds are reached.

I want to use both auto-mark and manual-mark spam together

Yes, and this is recommended for best results. Manual-mark thresholds will override auto-mark decisions, allowing your organization's collective experience to fine-tune the automatic detection system. This combination provides baseline protection through industry-standard spam detection while allowing your users' reports to adapt the system to your specific calling patterns.

My spam tag remediation is taking longer than expected

The automatic remediation process typically takes 1–2 days to complete. It may take longer if there are regulatory disputes with carriers or if the spam tag was applied by multiple carriers. No manual action is required from you during this process. If remediation is unsuccessful after several days, open a support ticket for additional assistance.

I don't understand what happens during spam tag remediation

For Zoom Contact Center with automatic caller ID matching, spam-flagged numbers are skipped during the caller ID matching process. Once the tag is removed, the number becomes eligible for matching again. For regular Zoom Phone, the system automatically works with carriers to remove the tag and you'll see status updates in the admin portal. If unsuccessful after the initial attempt, you may need to open a support ticket.

I need to configure spam protection for SMS messages

You can configure spam handling for SMS with two options. Block this number blocks SMS entirely so users cannot view spam messages. Mark without Block labels SMS as spam but allows delivery. Configure this in Account Settings > Zoom Phone > Spam Protection > Call Handling & SMS Options > Incoming SPAM SMS.

Spam protection is blocking calls from my legitimate customers

Enable Exclude user and company contacts from Spam Protection to automatically allow all saved contacts through. Have users save customer numbers to their contacts so they're recognized as legitimate callers. Adjust sensitivity levels appropriately, as lower sensitivity reduces false positives, and train users to mark incorrectly flagged numbers as Not Spam. Regularly review the Wrongly Marked Spam metric in your dashboard to catch patterns.

I received a spam call and need to know what to do

Don't answer if the call is already marked as spam unless you recognize the number. Mark the call as spam from your call history or voicemail if it wasn't automatically detected. Select Spam calls rather than Other reasons to help protect your entire organization. Report persistent harassment to your admin and use Do Not Disturb mode if you're experiencing a spam call attack.

I want to block entire area codes or prefixes

While Zoom Phone allows you to block specific numbers and prefixes, blocking entire area codes should be approached cautiously as it may block legitimate callers. If you're experiencing spam from specific prefixes, you can add them to your blocked number list. However, consider the business impact before implementing broad blocking rules. A better approach is often to use higher spam sensitivity levels and encourage user reporting.

I'm concerned about auto-mark spam detection accuracy

Accuracy depends on the sensitivity level you choose, the quality of global spam databases, user feedback through manual marking, and how typical spam patterns match your incoming calls. Monitor the Wrongly Marked Spam metric in the dashboard to assess accuracy for your organization. If you see high numbers of wrongly marked spam, consider lowering your sensitivity level. You can also implement the Exclude user and company contacts option to prevent known contacts from being blocked.

I don't understand why I need Enterprise Spam Registration when I already have spam protection

These features serve different purposes and work together for comprehensive protection. Spam Protection protects your users from receiving unwanted inbound calls by filtering and blocking spam callers. Enterprise Spam Registration protects your organization's outbound calls from being tagged as spam by other carriers. Additionally spam registration works for international numbers, whereas spam remediation is only available for U.S. numbers. Both are recommended for comprehensive spam management, especially if your organization makes frequent outbound calls.

I want to know what information is shared during Enterprise Spam Registration

Zoom shares your business legal name and public name, industry and company size, contact information, and business address with major U.S. carriers and their analytics partners. The system also shares DUNS and EIN numbers and all phone numbers in your account regardless of country, product, or native status. This information helps carriers verify your legitimacy and improve your caller ID reputation. It reduces the likelihood that your outbound calls will be blocked or tagged as spam by recipients.