Scrub
The process of filtering a lead list against prohibited, duplicate, or invalid records before dialing — covering DNC, duplicates, bad phones, litigator lists, and age.
Full Definition
Scrubbing is the process of filtering a lead list or single record against multiple suppression sources before it can be dialed. Standard scrub layers include: (1) National DNC Registry and applicable state DNC lists, (2) internal suppression list (past opt-outs), (3) litigator and professional-plaintiff suppression (DNC.com, Blacklist Alliance, ContactCenterCompliance.com), (4) phone validation (line-type, active/disconnected, wireless vs. landline), (5) dedupe against existing CRM records, and (6) age cutoff (e.g., drop leads older than 180 days). Tier-1 agencies run scrubs both at list-intake and at dial-time because phone status changes daily. Scrubbing is the single most important operational TCPA risk-mitigation control after consent documentation.
Example
An agency buys 10,000 aged leads and runs them through a four-layer scrub: federal DNC (drops 1,840), state DNC for 12 states (drops 190), litigator list (drops 6), phone validation (drops 620 disconnected). Dialable list: 7,344 records.
Related Terms
- DNC (Do Not Call) — A federal registry of phone numbers that have opted out of most telemarketing calls, administered by the FTC.
- Dedupe — Removing duplicate records within a lead list or against existing CRM contacts — prevents double-dialing and duplicate spend.
- TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) — U.S. federal law restricting telemarketing calls, autodialed calls, prerecorded messages, and text messages without prior express written consent.
- Dialer (Predictive / Power / Manual) — Outbound calling software that accelerates agent dial volume — operating in predictive, power, progressive, or manual modes with very different TCPA risk profiles.