CRITICAL INFORMATION

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CRITICAL INFORMATION ⚠️

S.H.A.F.T

SHAFT is a handy acronym to help you remember types of content which is either forbidden or subject to special rules.

S: Sexually inappropriate content

H: Hate speech or profanity

A: Alcohol

F: Firearms, and depictions or endorsements of violence

T: Tobacco (including vaping), or endorsement of illegal or illicit drugs, including marijuana and cannabis

In addition to the above, the promotion of gambling is not allowed.

SMS Prohibited Content

The following message categories are prohibited for SMS and MMS:

  • High-risk financial services

  • Third-party lead generation

  • Debt collection and forgiveness

  • “Get rich quick” schemes or Multi-level marketing

  • Illegal substances

  • Gambling

  • Sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, and tobacco (SHAFT)

Below, we discuss these categories in more detail.

This information is updated as regulations are updated
SMS is a highly regulated channel and is subject to stringent rules, regulations, and carrier requirements. Certain message content is prohibited and wireless carriers will reject SMS and MMS messages containing prohibited content by default. Other use cases are subject to additional requirements, like age-gating procedures. If your business sends messages containing any of the types of prohibited content listed below, SMS may not be the appropriate channel to reach your customer base.

SMS Prohibited Content
High-risk financial services
▼
Examples
  • Payday loans
  • Short-term high-interest loans
  • Auto loans
  • Mortgage loans
  • Student loans
  • Cryptocurrency
Notes
"Third-party" means originating from any party other than the one which will service the loan. SMS messages featuring financial investment advice or tips, as well as information on loans and refinancing options, are prohibited. Carriers also prohibit messages with links to donation sites. Legitimate financial institutions may use SMS in accordance with certain restrictions, and often leverage text alerts for suspicious card activity, appointment reminders, and other transactional messages.
Third-party lead generation services
▼
Examples
  • Buying, selling or sharing consumer information, such as insurance lead aggregators and home improvement leads
  • "Cold" outreach via business text messaging
Notes
Buying, selling, or sharing of consumer data is strictly prohibited. The business that obtained consent is the only business authorized to send SMS. "Cold" outreach is the solicitation of business from potential customers who have had no prior contact with the business and is strictly prohibited.
Debt collection or forgiveness
▼
Examples
  • Debt consolidation
  • Credit repair programs
  • Debt reduction
Notes
Almost all debt consolidation and forgiveness efforts are prohibited for SMS and MMS. Regarding debt collection, the business owed the debt can send payment reminders to late payers, personalized messages with account details, and follow up on payment confirmations. However, a third party cannot attempt to collect the debt for you via SMS and MMS.
"Get rich quick" schemes or Multi-level marketing
▼
Examples
  • Work from home offers, often with cash/commission incentives
  • Risk investment opportunities
  • Debt reduction
Notes
Multi-level marketing (MLM) products, services, or content commonly associated with unsolicited commercial messages (spam) are prohibited. This is different from outreach about employment as a result of compliant opt-in practices, messages from brokerages to their members, investment news alerts, or other investment-related messages.
Illegal substances
▼
Examples
  • Cannabis
  • CBD products
Notes
Cannabis is federally illegal in the United States. Cannabis businesses will not be permitted to use SMS/MMS messaging in the US, regardless of message content. CBD is federally legal, but is not legal in some US states, so US carriers do not permit messaging related to CBD. Offers for drugs that cannot be sold over-the-counter in the US/Canada are forbidden.
Gambling
▼
Examples
  • Casinos, sports betting
  • Lotteries
  • Online gambling
Notes
While gambling traffic is prohibited on Toll Free, it is allowed on Short Code, or Long Code, as long as proper age gating procedures are in place.
"S.H.A.F.T." use cases
▼
Examples
  • Sex or sexually inappropriate content
  • Hate speech
  • Alcohol
  • Firearms
  • Tobacco (including vaping)
Notes
* While Tobacco traffic is prohibited on Toll Free, it is allowed on Short Code, or Long Code, as long as proper age gating procedures are in place.

** Firearms and Alcohol traffic is allowed on Toll Free, Short Code, and Long Code, as long as proper age gating procedures are in place.

Vaping-related traffic is prohibited.

Companies that fall under any of the categories listed above are prohibited from Texting and are asked not to book an appointment. As there are no permissible workarounds.

Any attempt to falsify information or documents may lead to compliance violations and financial penalties issued by your carrier, TCR, or additional vendors.

Once you have confirmed that your business is compliant and is not on the Prohibited content list you are able to Procced with booking an appointment below.

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