- Never send an identical message to a large list. Vary every send.
- Warm up new numbers over days, not hours.
- Cap sends per hour and randomise the delay between them.
- Spread volume across several verified lines rather than one.
- Pause automatically the moment quality signals drop.
What actually gets you restricted
Meta does not publish its thresholds, but the observable pattern is consistent. Two thousand identical messages in ten minutes from a number with no history looks exactly like what it is, and the system treats it accordingly.
The other trigger is human: people reporting you. That is a content and targeting problem, not a technical one, and no amount of throttling fixes a message that annoys the person receiving it.
Warm-up is not optional
A brand new number sending at full volume on day one is the single most common way companies lose a line. Volume should ramp over the first three weeks, starting low and increasing as the number accumulates normal two-way conversation.
It feels slow. It is considerably faster than losing the number and starting again with a new one.
Variation, not just spacing
- Message variation so no two recipients receive an identical string.
- Randomised delays between sends, not a fixed interval that looks mechanical.
- Rest periods after a run of messages, the way a human puts the phone down.
- Typing indicators and realistic gaps before a reply.
Segmentation is an anti-ban measure
This is underrated. Sending a relevant offer to a list that opted in produces replies, and replies are the strongest positive signal a number can generate. Sending a studio apartment to someone who buys penthouses produces reports.
A clean, consented, well-segmented list protects your number better than any technical setting.
If it happens anyway
Stop sending immediately from that line. Do not switch to a second number and continue the same campaign, because you will lose that one too. Work out which message triggered it, fix the content or the targeting, then warm up a replacement properly.
Frequently asked questions
How many messages a day can one number send safely?
It depends on the age of the number, its history and how many people reply. A mature number with good two-way traffic sustains far more than a new one. We ramp rather than pick a fixed figure, because the fixed figure is what gets people banned.
Does using the official Business API protect me?
It gives you clearer quality ratings and a formal appeals path, but it does not exempt you. Template quality, opt-in and complaint rates still determine whether your number keeps its throughput.
Can a banned number be recovered?
Sometimes, through an appeal, and it is far from guaranteed. Plan on the basis that a lost number is lost, which is why warm-up and variation are worth the patience.