Most people see “Spam Likely” pop up on their phone and send it straight to voicemail. I, on the other hand, answer with enthusiasm, because some of my most profitable clients have come from numbers flagged as spam.

I know, I know, why would the Queen of Apostilles pick up a call that looks like it’s coming from a scammer trying to sell extended car warranties? Because those fancy algorithms that decide what’s spam and what’s not get it wrong all the time.

Spam Calls Are Not Always Spam

Case in point...

Law firms. Big, important, notary-needing, apostille-hiring, money-spending law firms. They make a lot of outbound calls, and sometimes their numbers get flagged. 

The same thing happens with international businesses. Sometimes their numbers just look suspicious to U.S. carriers, and boom, they get labeled as spam.

And let’s not forget corporate executives calling from hotel rooms or co-working spaces, or even government agencies dialing from a number that’s been recycled too many times. Just because the phone gods have deemed a number unworthy doesn’t mean the person on the other end of the line isn’t holding your next big opportunity.

The “Spam Call” That Turned Into a Golden Client

A while back, I got a call from a Canadian number I didn’t recognize. It had all the red flags: international; unknown; probably a very friendly someone trying to sell me maple syrup or free vacations (kidding, Canada, I love you). But I answered anyway.

The gentleman on the line needed a single document notarized. His lawyers were finalizing it, and it absolutely had to be notarized and filed by midnight. No pressure.

Later, while notarizing the document, I asked my favorite question:

“So, what do you do?”

Turns out, he was an advisor to Latin American countries. That’s when my apostille radar started beeping.

“Who handles your apostilles?” I asked casually.

“Oh, I use them all the time, but I’m only in Philadelphia for a month, so I don’t have any connections.”

Ding ding ding!

“Well, you do now.” I said with a wink and a smile.

Answer Your Phone.

If I had ignored that call, I would’ve missed out on a high-value client who needed exactly what I offer. 

This happens all the time. The opportunity to connect, to engage, to ask the right questions disappears when you let a call go to voicemail.

So next time your phone rings and your gut says, ugh, spam... give it a chance. Answer with warmth, professionalism, and just a tiny bit of curiosity. You never know who’s on the other end, or how much they might need you.

And hey, worst case is, you hang up on an actual scammer. 

But the best case, where you land your next big client, is worth the risk.

Spam calls... not just for blocking anymore!

If you need some help learning the apostille business, including how to answer the phone and what to ask, I offer the most comprehensive training course and certification program in the industry with Bill Soroka, the Notary Coach. We'll teach everything you ever wanted to know about international document authentication in the World of Apostilles course. 

Learn more here