Forbidden Message & Use-Case Categories
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Category |
Examples |
Notes |
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High-risk financial services |
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"Third-party" means originating from any party other than the one which will service the loan. |
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Third-party lead generation services |
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Debt collection or forgiveness |
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"Third-party" means originating from any party other than the one owed the debt. For example, a hospital could send messages regarding bills for its patients, assuming they opted-in to receive messaging. |
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"Get rich quick" schemes |
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This differs from outreach about employment due to compliant opt-in practices, messages from brokerages to their members, investment news alerts, or other investment-related messages. |
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Illegal substances |
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Cannabis is federally illegal in the United States. Cannabis businesses will not be permitted to use SMS/MMS messaging in the U.S., regardless of message content. CBD is federally legal but not in some U.S. states, so U.S. carriers do not permit messaging related to CBD. Offers for drugs that cannot be sold over the counter in the U.S./Canada are forbidden. |
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Gambling |
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Gambling traffic is prohibited in the U.S. and Canada on all number types (Toll-Free, Short Code, and Long Code). |
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"S. H.A.F.T." use cases |
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While Tobacco traffic is prohibited on Toll-Free, it is allowed on Short or Long Code, as long as proper age-gating procedures are in place. Alcohol traffic is allowed on Toll-Free (U.S. only), Short Code, and Long Code, as long as proper age-gating procedures are in place. Firearms and Vaping-related traffic are prohibited. |
The messaging use cases described above are strictly prohibited on SMS and MMS platforms in the United States and Canada. These guidelines apply to Short Code, Toll-Free, and Long Code messaging under the new A2P 10DLC system.
Forbidden Use Cases:
Certain types of messages are not allowed, and we take these restrictions seriously to maintain a safe and reliable messaging environment for all users. It is essential to refrain from engaging in the following activities listed in the table below. Please note that these forbidden use cases are not only related to the content of the message but the business type itself.
Additional Restrictions:
Even if your specific use case is not listed as prohibited, certain message content may still be subject to restrictions. For instance, the use of shared or free public URL shorteners is not permitted and will lead to filtering. Ensure that when using a shortened URL it is company-branded.
New Sev-0 Fines on Prohibited A2P Traffic, Effective February 15, 2024
T-Mobile has implemented non-compliance fines for A2P 10DLC messages that contain prohibited content. If T-Mobile detects messages that violate their content policies, they will issue a Sev-0 violation—the most severe level of consumer violation—impose a non-compliance fine, and immediately block all offending messages.
This enforcement policy applies to all commercial messaging traffic (SMS or MMS short code, toll-free, and 10DLC) transmitted through the T-Mobile network.
At Captivation Hub, we are committed to maintaining compliance across all campaigns. Because Sev-0 violations also breach the acceptable use and messaging policies we adhere to, these fines will be passed on to your account for every Sev-0 violation, effective February 15, 2024.
Fine Structure by Violation Tier
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Tier 1: $2,000 Fine
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Phishing (including simulated phishing for testing)
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Smishing
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Social engineering tactics (e.g., manipulation to obtain private data such as passwords or credit card numbers)
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Tier 2: $1,000 Fine
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Distribution of any illegal content (must be legal federally and across all 50 states)
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Tier 3: $500 Fine
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Other violations of commercial messaging regulations, including but not limited to SHAFT content (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco) that does not comply with federal and state laws (e.g., age-gating requirements)
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Important Notes
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These penalties apply across all A2P messaging formats: SMS/MMS short code, toll-free numbers, and 10DLC.
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T-Mobile reserves the right to permanently suspend any brands, campaigns, or even access to the T-Mobile network if violations are determined to be excessive.
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If your account incurs a Sev-0 violation, Captivation Hub will issue a formal notice and apply the associated fine accordingly.
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