Forbidden Message Categories for SMS and MMS in the US and Canada

The messaging use cases described below 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.

Category	Examples	Notes
High-risk financial services	Payday loans Short term high-interest loans New loan soliciting Third-party loans Student loans Cryptocurrency Stocks and investing platforms	"Third-party" means originating from any party other than the one which will service the loan. Examples of third-party loans could include auto, mortgage, personal, etc.
Third-party lead generation services and marketing	Companies, NGOs or political campaigns that buy, sell, or share consumer information. Affiliate lending Affiliate marketing Deceptive marketing	Any third-party use cases are strictly forbidden. Consent must be obtained directly from end-users. Political use case customers sending SMS messages are not able to use voter registration databases to collect consent and outreach end-users. Any business with a term of service or privacy policy that mentions sharing or selling consumer data/opt-in information is considered non-compliant.
Debt collection or forgiveness	Third-party debt collection Debt consolidation Debt reduction Debt relief Credit/debt repair	"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 patients, assuming they provided an opt-in to receive that message.
“Get rich quick” schemes	Deceptive work-from-home programs Risk investment opportunities Pyramid schemes Mystery Shopping Multi Level Marketing (MLM)	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.
“Illegal substances/articles	Cannabis CBD Kratom Paraphernalia products Vape/E-cigs Fireworks	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.
Prescription drugs	Drugs that require a prescription	Offers for drugs that cannot be sold over-the-counter in the US/Canada are forbidden regardless if the business is a licensed professional.
Gambling	Casino apps Websites that offer gambling Sweepstakes 50/50 Raffles Contests Betting/Sports picks	Gambling traffic is prohibited in the US and Canada on all number types (Toll-Free, Mobile Numbers)
"S.H.A.F.T." use cases and electronic smoking devices	Sex Hate Alcohol Firearms Tobacco Vape/E-ciggs	Tobacco & vaping-related traffic is prohibited on all number types (Toll-Free, Mobile Numbers) Firearms and Alcohol traffic is prohibited on all number types (Toll-Free, Mobile Numbers) Sexually inappropriate content is also prohibited on all number types (Toll-Free, Mobile Numbers)