The use cases listed below are prohibited on SMS or MMS in the United States or Canada. This information pertains to long code messaging using the new A2P 10DLC system, as well as short code and Toll-Free messaging. We have also included some suggested alternatives for conducting certain prohibited use cases.
It is important to note that certain types of message content may be restricted, even if your use case is not forbidden. For instance, the use of shared public URL shorteners is prohibited by US carriers and will result in filtering.
Category | Example | Notes |
High-risk financial services |
| “Third-party” means originating from any party other than the one which will service the loan. |
Third-party lead generation services |
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Debt collection or forgiveness |
| “Third-party” means originating from any party other than the one who is owed the debt. For example, a hospital could send messages regarding bills for its own patients, assuming they provided opt-in to receive that messaging. Third-party debt collectors may send transactional messages that consumers have directly opted in to; however, they cannot use SMS as a channel to collect a debt. |
“Get rich quick” schemes |
| 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/articles |
| 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 subject to varying legal restrictions across US states, so US carriers do not permit messaging related to CBD. |
Prescription drugs |
| Offers for drugs that cannot be sold over-the-counter in the US/Canada are forbidden. |
Gambling |
| Gambling traffic is prohibited in the US and Canada on all number types (Toll Free, Short Code, Long Code). |
"S.H.A.F.T." use cases |
| While tobacco and alcohol 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. |
My use case is listed as forbidden. What can I do?
If your use case is listed above as forbidden for SMS and MMS messaging in the US, your messages may face blacklisting by the carriers and your account may be blocked altogether.
Can I send cannabis or CBD-related messaging traffic on Call Loop?
Call Loop's Messaging Policy forbids sending messages about anything that is illegal in the jurisdiction where the message recipient lives. This policy affects messaging related to cannabis (marijuana) and cannabidiol (CBD) in the United States, as well as many other countries.
In the United States, SMS or MMS messages pertaining to cannabis are prohibited due to federal laws that prohibit its sale, despite some states having legalized it. Similarly, messages related to CBD products are also not allowed in certain states. Call Loop's Messaging Policy adheres to the rules of US carriers in this regard, and there are no exceptions to this policy.
Call Loop defines a cannabis-related message as any message that pertains to the marketing or sale of a cannabis product, regardless of whether it explicitly contains cannabis terms, images, or links to cannabis websites.