SMS Short Codes
What are Short Codes?
A Short Code in the US and Canada is a 5 or 6 digit SMS number issued by the Common Short Code Administration (CSCA) and is used to send and receive business-related SMS messages to mobile phones. These are usually used for verifications, contests, and marketing communication. SMS Short Code messaging is available on most US- and Canada-based numbers.
You can send and receive SMS Short Code messages with your Virtual Number! Short Code messaging is often used for security verifications, charitable donations, marketing purposes, TV program voting, and much more.
Each Tossable Digits plan includes 6 credits per included Virtual Number that allow you to send or receive SMS Short Code messages at no extra cost. You can view the number of credits for each plan on the Pricing page. If your available credits for SMS short code messages are used up, you will be billed for each additional SMS Short Code message received. This charge will be added to your monthly bill automatically. You can review the number of credits you have available at any time by clicking on the “Billing” tab of the main menu.
Short Code Directory: https://usshortcodedirectory.com/directory/
How Do I Stop Short Code Text Messages?
The easiest way to stop receiving unwanted Short Code text messages is to simply reply with the word "STOP" to the Short Code. This usually works 99% of the time, as it's required by the Cellular Telephone Industries Association (CTIA). If the Short Code is properly working, you should receive a text message response from the Short Code, giving you a confirmation that you've been unsubscribed from receiving future Short Code text messages.
If that doesn't stop unwanted text messages from the Short Code, try the following steps.
- Check to make sure that the "STOP" text messages you send from your mobile phone don't include any type of signature at the end of the text message. You can quickly verify this by sending a text message to a family or friend from your mobile phone, to confirm that there's no signature added to the end of your messages.
- If you do have a signature added to your text messages, we recommend disabling it, then attempting again to unsubscribe by text "STOP" to the Short Code.
Why does having a signature in your text messages mean that you may not be able to stop Short Code messages?
When interacting with a Short Code, you're communicating to a computer on the other end, not an actual human. If a computer receives "STOP - Sent by iPhone" from your mobile phone number, the computer may not be smart enough to understand your intent.
If that doesn't work, try texting "UNSUBSCRIBE" or "END" to the Short Code you're receiving unwanted text messages from. Along with the word "STOP", these words are also required by the CTIA to unsubscribe from receiving Short Code text messages.
If you've followed the instructions above, and you are still receiving unwanted text messages from the Short Code, that means the Short Code is not functioning properly. Unfortunately, this makes it a little harder to stop text messages, but not impossible. If this is happening to you can report Short Code Issues.
How do I Report Short Code Issues?
If texting "STOP" to a Short Code doesn't work, or there's another issue with a Short Code, it's essential that you report the issue, so that it can be resolved by either the wireless carriers or the SMS provider. We recommend reporting Short Code issues to the following two organizations.
Contact the Common Short Code Administration (CSCA) here directly through the Cellular Telephone Industries Association (CTIA).
Report the unsolicited text message to Spam Response here, powered by WMC Global. Take care to ensure the sender phone number, i.e. the Short Code number you’re interacting with, and spam message text are captured accurately. WMC Global, Spam Response’s parent company, is tasked by the CSCA & CTIA to monitor and enforce Short Code best practices.
To assist these organizations, when you contact them, please provide the following information:
- The mobile phone number you're using to interact with the Short Code.
- The Short Code number you're interacting with.
- The Short Code issue you're experiencing, and the steps you've taken to try and resolve the issue.
- Any examples of text messages you've received from that Short Code.
Short Code Limitations
We are unable to guarantee that our numbers will work with phone verification services, such as the kind businesses such as PayPal, eBay, and Craigslist use, that allow you to create accounts with other services. We cannot guarantee that our numbers will work or have never been used for the same purpose prior to your purchase, and as such, if we know about the verification service and it has been abused in the past, we will block incoming calls from such services.
We will not issue a refund if you purchase a number with an intent to use such automated account authorization and verification services and it does not succeed, regardless of your legitimacy for using it.
We do NOT block verification services, such as Yellow Pages, Google Local, or directory services so that you can have your number or numbers listed in a directory.
Not Receiving Short Code Messages
You can quickly check if a Short Code is supported by sending an SMS message with the message "HELP" to the Short Code from your Virtual Number. If you get a reply, it definitely works.
Tossable Digits supports every US Short Code. However, companies and carriers control whether or not they will send Short Code messages to Wireline phone numbers. Wireline phone numbers are phone numbers that are NOT managed by the five major US wireless carriers and their MVNOs: AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, and US Cellular.
Because the Short Code holder decides what carriers they will support, Tossable Digits cannot control if you receive the messages. If you are not receiving Short Code messages, contact the company who should be sending them to lodge a complaint with them.
US SMS Short Code Services and Verification Lists
Here is a partial list of services that are able to reach our US Virtual Numbers using SMS Short Code messages. Presence in this list DOES NOT GUARANTEE that these 3rd parties support all our US Virtual Numbers for account creation and verification.
- AOL
- ASAPtickets.com
- Adobe Sign
- Amazon.com
- American Airlines
- American Express (AmEx)
- Apple
- Bank of America
- Barclays
- Binance.com
- Blizzard Entertainment
- CVS Pharmacy
- Capital One
- Charles Schwab
- Chase
- Citi / Citibank
- Comcast XFINITY
- Credit Unions (454545)
- Discover Card
- Dropbox
- eBay
- Eventbrite
- EverBridge & Nixle
- Evernote
- Fiverr
- Go Smith
- GrubHub
- Honeywell
- Kakao
- Microsoft
- Musical.ly
- NetSpend
- Nike
- PNC Bank
- Patreon
- PayPal
- Porch.com
- SalesForce
- Schwab
- Seamless
- Southwest Airlines
- StubHub
- TIAA
- Telegram
- Tinder
- Toyota Financial Services
- TurboTax
- US Bank
- Upwork
- Vanguard
- Venmo
- Voya
- Yahoo
- Yelp
- Zelle
- Zoho
- Zoosk
No Longer Working Short Codes
Sometimes companies change their policies for how they deliver SMS messages, which may remove our ability to receive them. Here is a list of companies and Short Codes that we know we are not able to receive.
- 40404: Twitter, as of August 2018. Use Authentication App or Security Key
- 93557: Wells Fargo, as of March 2019
- 79913: US Social Security Administration (US SSA), as of March 2020. Email Alternative
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