Why does Validata need a phone number from my reference?

Due to source verification, reference requests are only processed via email. If a referee does not respond to the email with the reference request after several days, we use the phone number solely to remind the referee to respond to the email. Reference questions are not processed via the phone for the sake of source verification. After all, source verification cannot be confirmed over the phone as we don't know exactly who is on the other end of the line.