# What are complaints?

Complaints are messages that are marked and registered by the receiver as spam.

How can I check the complaint rate?
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The complaint rate metric shows you the percentage of people who marked your email as spam. They’re automatically removed from all your lists. We keep their email addresses hidden due to our privacy policy.

1.  Go to Dashboard and select **[Reports](https://app.getresponse.com/statistics)**.

2.  Select **Email marketing**, **Autoresponders** or **Automation messages** depending on what type of message you want to check.

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2023/07/0855/Screenshot-2023-07-20-at-10.14.01.png)

3.  On the **Email marketing**, **Autoresponders** or **Automation messages** reports page, select the linked list(s).

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2023/07/0856/Screenshot-2023-07-20-at-10.16.34-1.png)

4.  Set the time range.

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2023/07/0857/Screenshot-2023-07-20-at-10.17.46.png)

5.  Choose your message or messages. On the same page, you will see general message statistics.

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2023/07/0858/Screenshot-2023-07-20-at-10.22.12-2.png)

### To check the complaint rate for a specific email: 

1.  On the **Email marketing**, **Autoresponders** or **Automation messages** reports page, scroll to the **Messages** **sent** section and click on the name of the message. Detailed statistics will open.

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2023/07/0912/Screenshot-2023-07-20-at-11.11.52.png)

2.  Click on the **Complaints** tab to see the **Spam complaint rate** and **Spam check result**.

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2023/07/0908/Screenshot-2023-07-20-at-11.07.36.png)

*   **Spam complaint rate** shows the percentage of subscribers who have marked your emails as spam.
*   **Spam check result** shows the likelihood of your email being marked as spam.

How can I deal with a high complaint rate?
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Following the best email marketing practices is key to decreasing your spam complaint rate. Here are tips on how to deal with a high complaint ratio:

*   Use the same branding as on your pages to build and maintain the relationship between you and your subscribers. Include a logo at the top of the email, keep the colors consistent, send messages from your custom domain email to decrease the possibility of your inbox being marked as spam.
*   The unsubscribe process needs to be clear and obvious. It is a very good practice to add the unsubscribe link at the top of your email.
*   Don’t coerce subscribers into opening your message with deceptive subject lines.
*   Make sure your emails reflect what the subscriber signed up for. If they are interested in news about photography, make sure to deliver on that promise and don’t send them unrelated content.
*   Segment your subscribers based on their interests and engagement. For more information about segments, [see our article about creating and using segments.](https://www.getresponse.com/help/what-is-a-segment.html)
*   It’s a good practice to clean your contact lists every 60 – 90 days. Consider removing anyone who hasn’t opened your emails in that period. 

My complaint rate is high
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If you have noticed an increased complaint rate, please set up a ticket to our Compliance team in [My tickets](https://app.getresponse.com/email-us/my-tickets) section.

### To set up a ticket to our Compliance team:

1.  Click on the **Send new email** button.
2.  Choose **Compliance** from the **Select a category for your question** drop-down menu.
3.  Fill out the **Subject** and **Describe the issue in more detail** fields.
4.  Attach files if necessary.
5.   Click on the **Send** button.