Common Pitfalls When Using Bought Fax Lists
Posted: Thu May 29, 2025 5:36 am
Buying fax lists can speed up outreach, but there are several traps that can reduce effectiveness—or even land you in legal trouble. Here are key pitfalls to watch out for:
1. Outdated or Inaccurate Data
Fax numbers change, businesses close, or switch lines—older lists lead to high bounce rates and wasted resources.
Vendors sometimes resell the same list multiple times, leading to over-saturation.
2. Lack of Consent or Permission
Many bought lists don’t guarantee that contacts fax lists opted in to receive faxes, risking TCPA and CASL violations.
Unsolicited fax ads can result in hefty fines and damage to your reputation.
3. Poor Targeting
Generic, broad lists without proper segmentation lower response rates and increase opt-outs.
Sending irrelevant messages annoys recipients and wastes your budget.
4. Ignoring Opt-Out Requests
Failing to promptly remove contacts who request to opt out can cause complaints and legal penalties.
Not maintaining a “Do Not Fax” list is a big compliance red flag.
5. Low List Hygiene
Duplicate contacts, missing key details, or mixing personal with business numbers make campaigns inefficient.
No regular list cleaning increases costs and harms sender reputation.
6. Overfaxing Recipients
Bombarding the same contacts too frequently can lead to opt-outs and complaints.
Respecting frequency limits helps maintain goodwill.
7. Vendor Misrepresentation
Some vendors oversell the quality or compliance status of their lists.
Always ask for compliance certificates and references.
How to Avoid These Pitfalls
Buy from reputable, transparent vendors with compliance guarantees.
Request sample data and test small batches first.
Regularly update and scrub your fax lists.
Segment your lists to improve message relevance.
Implement strict opt-out handling procedures.
Need help auditing your current fax list or finding trustworthy list providers?
1. Outdated or Inaccurate Data
Fax numbers change, businesses close, or switch lines—older lists lead to high bounce rates and wasted resources.
Vendors sometimes resell the same list multiple times, leading to over-saturation.
2. Lack of Consent or Permission
Many bought lists don’t guarantee that contacts fax lists opted in to receive faxes, risking TCPA and CASL violations.
Unsolicited fax ads can result in hefty fines and damage to your reputation.
3. Poor Targeting
Generic, broad lists without proper segmentation lower response rates and increase opt-outs.
Sending irrelevant messages annoys recipients and wastes your budget.
4. Ignoring Opt-Out Requests
Failing to promptly remove contacts who request to opt out can cause complaints and legal penalties.
Not maintaining a “Do Not Fax” list is a big compliance red flag.
5. Low List Hygiene
Duplicate contacts, missing key details, or mixing personal with business numbers make campaigns inefficient.
No regular list cleaning increases costs and harms sender reputation.
6. Overfaxing Recipients
Bombarding the same contacts too frequently can lead to opt-outs and complaints.
Respecting frequency limits helps maintain goodwill.
7. Vendor Misrepresentation
Some vendors oversell the quality or compliance status of their lists.
Always ask for compliance certificates and references.
How to Avoid These Pitfalls
Buy from reputable, transparent vendors with compliance guarantees.
Request sample data and test small batches first.
Regularly update and scrub your fax lists.
Segment your lists to improve message relevance.
Implement strict opt-out handling procedures.
Need help auditing your current fax list or finding trustworthy list providers?