# `premium_rate` (phone): a premium-rate number

The Spaw phone risk signal premium_rate adds 60 points to risk_score when libphonenumber's numbering-plan metadata types the number as premium rate, such as the UK 09 range (dataset libphonenumber).

- Weight: +60
- Dataset: `libphonenumber`
- Read from: `line_type`
- Default SMS policy: blocks it: premium_rate is one of the default block_signals (fictional, disposable, reported_abuse, reported_abuse_widely, premium_rate).

A premium-rate number charges the caller or sender a service fee on top of the call or message, and a message sent there earns someone a share: the business behind artificially inflated traffic. line_type answers premium_rate with line_type_source numbering_plan, and the dataset is libphonenumber.

In the United Kingdom premium rate is the 09 range. The 084 and 087 ranges answer shared_cost instead: libphonenumber's metadata files them as premium rate, but Ofcom's numbering plan classes them as service numbers with a capped charge, and Spaw follows the plan.

**What it cannot tell you.**

- It reads the plan, not the tariff: it cannot tell you what a message to the number costs or whether the number is in service.
- It does not catch 084 and 087, although 0871 to 0873 still fall under Ofcom's premium-rate-services rules. Add shared_cost to blocked_line_types to refuse them too.

**What to do.** Never send a verification code there. blocked_line_types premium_rate refuses the line type whether or not the signal is on your block list. The default SMS policy blocks on it: an answer carrying it is ok_to_send false whatever the score.

The SMS policy is set per account with `PUT /api/v1/phone/policy` (https://spaw.co/docs/api/update-phone-policy) or the dashboard's SMS policy tab, and its `block_signals` may list any signal, this one included.

An excerpt of an answer carrying this signal alone, with the number and the other fields left out, because no test number answers it. The score and the decision are worked out as the lookup and the default SMS policy work them out.

```json
{
    "valid": true,
    "country": "GB",
    "line_type": "premium_rate",
    "line_type_source": "numbering_plan",
    "risk_score": 60,
    "risk_level": "high",
    "risk_signals": [
        {
            "signal": "premium_rate",
            "weight": 60,
            "dataset": "libphonenumber"
        }
    ],
    "ok_to_send": false,
    "blocked_by": "premium_rate"
}
```

Related:

- [`voip`](https://spaw.co/docs/signals/phone/voip): the numbering plan types the number as VoIP
- [`pager`](https://spaw.co/docs/signals/phone/pager): the numbering plan types the number as a pager
- [`international_network`](https://spaw.co/docs/signals/phone/international_network): an international network or satellite number
- [`shared_cost`](https://spaw.co/docs/signals/phone/shared_cost): a shared-cost number
- [The weights table in the phone guide](https://spaw.co/docs/phone-intelligence#signal-premium_rate)
- [Glossary: line type](https://spaw.co/glossary/line-type)
- [Glossary: SMS policy](https://spaw.co/glossary/sms-policy)

Reference: https://spaw.co/docs/signals/phone/premium_rate