TCPA Litigator List: How to Scrub Serial Filers Before Your Next Campaign

Some people don’t get annoyed by unwanted texts, but they eagerly wait for them! Yes, you read it right! They look forward to receiving these messages so they can file lawsuits against you. These people are called serial filers, and they show up on the TCPA litigator list. If your SMS campaign reaches even one of these numbers, you could face a lawsuit that costs you thousands of dollars. 

But don’t panic! You can easily filter out these numbers before you hit the send button. 

In this guide, we will walk you through how a litigator scrub works and how you can integrate one into every SMS campaign you run. 

TL;DR

• A small group of serial filers (TCPA litigants) can account for a large share of individual lawsuits.
• Before you send a text message, you should cross-check your contact list against commercially maintained litigant databases, internal do-not-call lists, and court record data from PACER.
• While no litigator scrub can eliminate all risk, removing known litigant numbers is one of the cost-effective defenses that you can implement to protect your business from lawsuits. 

Try Landline Remover today to scrub TCPA litigators before you launch your next campaign. It helps you validate and clean your contact list quickly by removing known litigators, so you can text with more confidence. 

What is a TCPA Litigator List?

A TCPA litigator list is a database of phone numbers linked to people who have previously filed TCPA lawsuits or who work closely with lawyers who file them. Compliance companies and legal data providers build these lists by tracking public lawsuit records, court filings, and known plaintiff attorneys. Some numbers on the list belong to people who have sued five, ten, or even dozens of companies. Accidentally texting one of these numbers by mistake can quickly turn into a major legal headache. 

Why Do You Need a TCPA Litigator Scrub Before Every SMS Campaign?

The TCP Act allows a private right of action with statutory damages of $500 per violation and up to $1,500 for willful violations. There is no cap per plaintiff. This means that if you text one number without consent or call with an autodialer or prerecorded voice without proper consent, you face a potential $500 to $1,500 exposure. That cost quickly adds up when a serial filer owns multiple numbers or claims multiple violations. In fact, a single small SMS campaign can generate six-figure liability from a single serial filer.

A TCPA litigator scrub is the process of checking your contact list against a litigator database before you send a message. It filters out risky numbers so you don’t accidentally text them. 

The problem here is that serial filers look identical to legitimate prospects in your CRM. The numbers are real, so you can’t easily distinguish them from a warm lead just by looking at the digits. That’s where a dedicated litigator scrub can help. 

If you are wondering who counts as a serial filer, here are some common traits that you should look for:

• Serial filers file multiple TCPA lawsuits, sometimes against several companies in the same year.
• They often work with the same group of attorneys who specialize in these cases.
• Some serial filers may sign up for texts on purpose, so they have a reason to sue later.

However, it does not mean every unhappy recipient is a serial filer; rather, a small group of repeat filers accounts for a large share of the lawsuits companies deal with. 

Different Types of TCPA Litigant Number Lists

You won’t find any government-maintained TCPA litigant list because the FTC does not publish one. However, several private commercial products are built from public court records and are available to help. 

Here are the main categories.

Court-Record Aggregators 

 PACER is a federal court filing system that is publicly available at pacer.uscourts.gov . Companies can scrape it to pull plaintiff names, attorney names, and phone numbers of those who’ve filed TCPA complaints. The result is a suppression file that you can use to match against your contact list. 

Commercial Litigant Databases

There are vendors such as TCPA Litigator List, Litigation Firewall, and similar services that maintain a rolling database of phone numbers tied to TCPA plaintiffs. These databases typically charge per-record or monthly subscription fees. Prices usually vary, so you’ll need to request current quotes from vendors. 

Attorney-Linked Suppression

Some active TCPA plaintiff attorneys represent repeat filers and sometimes even flag numbers tied to those attorneys. 

Internal Lists

Some industry groups and compliance networks swap suppression files among members.

Keep in mind that none of these lists is complete or officially approved. There may be a number that has never appeared on any of these databases yet could also belong to someone who files their first lawsuit against you tomorrow. A scrub reduces risk, but it does not eliminate it. 

How Litigator Scrubbing Works

The mechanics behind it look a lot like standard DNC list scrubbing , but both are different. (We will learn the difference between litigator scrubbing and DNC scrubbing in the upcoming section.) Litigator scrubbing follows the simple steps. 

1. Upload your contact list
2. The scrubbing tool checks each number against a litigator database.
3. If a mismatch is found, the number gets flagged or removed. 
4. You will receive a cleaner list that is safer to text. 

The entire process usually takes minutes, not hours, especially when you use a tool specially built for it. 

What is the Difference Between a Litigator Scrub and a DNC Scrub?

Most people think DNC scrubbing and litigator scrubbing are the same, but they are not. A DNC list scrub identifies which numbers have been registered in the Do-Not-Call Registry so they don’t receive calls or messages from telemarketers. If you send a text message or call them without prior consent, you could trigger TCPA liability. 

On the other hand, a litigator scrub tells you which numbers belong to people who have actually filed TCPA lawsuits in the past. 

It’s worth noting that a serial filer’s number may not even appear on the DNC registry. That’s because these individuals build their cases by receiving autodialed or prerecorded calls, activities that do not require DNC registration. 

You need both DNC scrub and litigator scrub to run successful SMS marketing campaigns. 

How to Check Thousands of Numbers at Once

If you’re wondering how you can check thousands of numbers at once, the answer is a batch litigator scrub. Instead of checking numbers one by one, you can upload your entire contact list as a file or connect it through an API with your SMS marketing platform, and the tool checks every number in a single pass. 

Let’s understand how it works.

• Export your contact list as a CSV file or connect your SMS marketing platform with a batch litigator scrub like Landline Remover via an API.
• The scrubbing tool compares each number against the litigator database.
• You will receive a report showing which numbers matched and which are clear to text.
• Remove or exclude those flagged numbers before your campaign goes out.

Remember, a batch scrub is not a one-time task; run it before every send, not only when you first build your list. New numbers are added to litigator databases daily, and even old contacts become risky over time if they have recently filed a complaint. 

If you're wondering when to use each method, here is a quick comparison of manual scrubbing vs. batch and automated scrubbing. 

The bottom line is this: if you only send a few hundred texts once a year, a manual check might work. But if you’re running campaigns every week, automation and batch scrubbing save you time and catch more risky numbers. 

Where to Get a TCPA Litigator List or Scrubbing Tool

You have two main options to get a TCPA litigator list. You can subscribe to a third-party litigator database and check numbers yourself, or you can use a phone validation tool like Landline Remover. This tool includes built-in scrubbing, so the check happens automatically as part of your regular list-cleaning process.

Let’s understand this through a simple example. 

Suppose you are about to send a campaign to 5,000 leads. You run them through a batch scrub, and the report flags 40 numbers as matches. Instead of removing those leads from your list forever, you set them aside and send your campaign to the remaining 4,960 numbers. Those 40 numbers stay out of future campaigns unless you have a clear reason and proper consent to text them again.

Best Practices to Stay TCPA-Compliant Beyond the Scrub

A litigator scrub is not a complete solution, but it is just one important layer. To stay fully protected, you must follow the practices below. 

• Keep clear records of consent for every number you text, including when and how someone opted in.
• Include simple opt-out instructions in every message, like "Reply STOP to unsubscribe."
• Respect opt-out requests right away and keep those numbers out of future sends.
• Avoid texting outside reasonable hours and respect quiet hours. 

Think of scrubbing as your safety net and these practices as the fence around it. You need both.

Stay Compliant and Reduce TCPA Litigator Risk With Landline Remover

Serial filers actively look for an opportunity, like texts, to sue over. And a single mistake can cost you real money. Running a litigator scrub before every campaign, whether manual or batch, gives you a simple way to catch those risky numbers before they become a problem, like fines and lawsuits. 

Landline Remover is a TCPA litigator scrub that removes phone numbers known to be litigators by cleaning your contact list. It can even act as a batch litigator scrub before running your next SMS campaigns and help reduce any legal risk of TCPA violation. 

Try Landline Remover today and text with greater confidence and peace of mind.