> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.forager.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> Forager is a REST API for B2B people, company and job post data: contact lookups (phone numbers, personal emails, work emails), person, company and job post search, and bulk data feeds.
> Server: https://api-v2.forager.ai. Send the API key in the X-API-KEY header. Most paths include {account_id}. Read FORAGER_API_KEY and FORAGER_ACCOUNT_ID from the environment; never put the key in client-side code, logs or prompts.
> To add Forager to a project, follow https://www.forager.ai/docs/guides/agent-quickstart.md. To pick an endpoint, read https://www.forager.ai/docs/guides/choose-an-endpoint.md. For end-to-end builds, see https://www.forager.ai/docs/recipes/overview.md.
> Most requests spend credits. Do not guess costs; use https://www.forager.ai/docs/api-overview/credit-pricing.md and ask the user before spending credits.
> Use only endpoints and fields defined in https://www.forager.ai/docs/openapi.yaml. Forager has no MCP server for the API yet; the /mcp endpoint on this site searches the documentation only.

# Troubleshooting Forager API requests

> Fix common Forager API problems: 403 errors, 429 rate limits, empty results, filters that match nothing and bulk work email jobs that don't finish.

![API troubleshooting: find the symptom, identify the cause, apply the fix](https://mintcdn.com/forager/EGsWCxLOYv1Cb__c/images/illustrations/api-troubleshooting-symptom-fix.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=EGsWCxLOYv1Cb__c\&q=85\&s=1d3b9b5a58301a349565f0f3b3b85ee9)

Find the symptom, then follow the fix. If you're still stuck, [contact support](https://www.forager.ai/docs/support.md) with the request path, the time and the status code. Never send your API key.

> [accordion] 403: Authentication credentials were not provided
>
> The `X-API-KEY` header is missing or the key isn't valid.
>
> * Check that the header name is exactly `X-API-KEY` and that the value has no quotes or trailing spaces.
> * Make sure the key still exists on the [API](https://app.forager.ai/keys) page.
> * Make sure your proxy or HTTP client doesn't strip custom headers.

> [accordion] 403: Forbidden
>
> The key can't access this resource. The most common cause is a wrong Account ID in the path: copy it again from [My Account](https://app.forager.ai/profile). See [authentication](https://www.forager.ai/docs/api-overview/authentication.md).

> [accordion] 429: Too many requests
>
> You hit a rate limit. Back off and retry later. Autocomplete allows 10 requests per second and feedback 60 per minute, per account. For many work emails, use the [bulk work email lookup](https://www.forager.ai/docs/guides/bulk-work-emails.md). See [API errors and rate limits](https://www.forager.ai/docs/errors-and-rate-limits.md).

> [accordion] A lookup returns an empty result
>
> Forager has no data for that input.
>
> * Try another identifier for the same person. For example, find their Forager `person_id` with [person role search](https://www.forager.ai/docs/guides/search-people-by-role.md), then look up with the ID.
> * Check that a LinkedIn public identifier is only the part after `/in/`, such as `jane-doe`, not the full URL.

> [accordion] A search filter matches nothing
>
> Filters such as industries, locations, skills and technologies take Forager IDs, not free text. Get the IDs from the autocomplete endpoints first. See [Find valid filter IDs](https://www.forager.ai/docs/guides/find-filter-values.md).

> [accordion] A bulk work email job never finishes
>
> Poll the [bulk retrieve endpoint](https://www.forager.ai/docs/openapi/work-emails/v2_datastorage_person_contacts_lookup_work_emails_bulk_retrieve.md) with a back-off, for example every few seconds, and honour a `Retry-After` header if one is sent. Polling never consumes credits.
>
>  A batch is rejected, and nothing is charged, if your credit balance can't cover the whole batch. See [bulk work email lookups](https://www.forager.ai/docs/guides/bulk-work-emails.md).

> [accordion] Credits are going faster than expected
>
> * List your recent charges with the [credit usage endpoints](https://www.forager.ai/docs/guides/credits-and-usage.md).
> * Look for repeated lookups of the same person, and cache results.
> * Run contact lookups only for search results you keep.

> [accordion] A returned number or email is wrong
>
> Report it with the [feedback endpoints](https://www.forager.ai/docs/guides/report-bad-data.md), with `contact_status` and, if you know it, `is_correct_person: false`.


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