Managing Spam Calls and Blocking Numbers

Introduction to potential spam calls or texts on Spruce

Any working 10-digit number can call or text your Spruce phone number, so in the same way that it is normal to receive spam calls on your personal device, it is normal to receive spam calls on Spruce. Receiving spam calls or text messages is not indicative of any security or HIPAA risk. 

One common reason for spam calls or messages is because a purchased number was previously owned by someone else. In cases where a Spruce phone number was previously owned by someone else, we take precautions to minimize the disruption of any potential 'overlap.' Numbers are reserved for a minimum of two months before they are released to a new user. This is intended to give the number’s former owner enough time to update their records. Additionally, our telecommunication partner monitors the number of incoming phone calls during this time and may even extend the two-month reserve period until those call levels reach an acceptable rate.

Automated Spam Detection for Calls

Spruce automatically detects when an inbound call is coming from a known source of spam calls by checking it against a verified list of spam callers. When a call is received from such a number, you will see an indicator of  Possible Spam next to the inbound call notice. By default, the setting on your Spruce account will send these Possible Spam calls directly to voicemail, and if a voicemail is left, you will be able to listen that voicemail in Spruce.  

All the possible spam settings are listed below:

1. Default setting: Send the call directly to voicemail. You'll see the words "Possible Spam" appear next to the inbound call notice within Spruce. You also won't receive a notification of the call, but the conversation will appear unread and unarchived in your inbox.
2. Block the call outright. You won’t see any record of the inbound call. 
3. Do nothing and allow the call to ring through unaffected. The words "Possible Spam" will still show next to the inbound call notice.

If a number has incorrectly flagged as spam we recommend you add that number as a contact in Spruce with at minimum a first and last name and our system will exclude it from being blocked. Alternatively, message Team Spruce to change your settings to reflect option #3 so that you can receive inbound calls from this phone number. If you want to change your Spam Detection setting, please contact Spruce Support to request this change.

Blocking Phone Numbers

You may experience spam calls or messages from a phone number that has not yet labeled by the system as spam. If this is the case, you can easily block specific phone numbers. After you block a phone number, if that number attempts to call you they will hear a busy signal. If that number attempts to text you, the text will look sent from their end but will not be delivered to your Spruce account. You will not receive any notice of attempted calls/text messages in Spruce from a number that has been blocked. If you have archived the conversation with a number you have blocked, incoming calls from that blocked number will automatically remain archived and will not appear in the Inbox. If the conversation was not previously archived you will see a record in the inbox although the call will not ring through and no voicemail will be recorded. The caller will also receive no indication that their number was blocked.