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What is Considered Fraud?

Fraud is defined as an intentional or unintentional deceptive action designed to provide the perpetrator with an unlawful gain or to deny a right to a victim. When using the SignalWire platform, fraudulent actions cover any method that a user could implement to gain monetary value or success by circumventing SignalWire Terms of Service(TOS) and Code of Conduct(COC) rules, or regulations at the Federal, State, and Industry level.

That means that avoiding fraudulent activity when using SignalWire products is more than just providing SignalWire with accurate information and not using stolen credit card information. Let's talk about some things that can be considered fraud (intentional or unintentional) and what happens if your account is flagged for fraudulent activity. This is not an exhaustive list of all prohibited or discouraged activities, so be sure to read legal documentation carefully in addition to this guide.

Activities that will be flagged as fraud​

Phone calls​

Engaging in activities such as the following when using our Voice products is considered fraud:

  • misrepresenting your identity
  • phishing for any personal information or sensitive data
  • knowingly calling numbers that have been listed on any municipality's or federal “Do Not Call” registry

Text messages​

Engaging in activities such as the following when using our Messaging products is considered fraud:

Intentional Fraud​

  • phishing of any kind
  • scam messages, generally involving money and/or a business transaction
  • sending verification codes for third party applications
  • using a single Campaign registered with The Campaign Registry for multiple use cases or business entities
  • sending messages to numbers that have opted out
  • snowshoe sending (spreading messages across many source phone numbers specifically to dilute reputation metrics and evade filters)
  • content that includes Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, or Tobacco (SHAFT)
  • content that includes illicit or illegal substances, including Cannabis
  • sending malicious content such as malware or viruses

Unintentional Fraud​

Other prohibited activities​

There are additional activities and message content that are not traditionally classified as fraud, but because they violate our Terms of Service, they may be considered fraud by SignalWire's definition you read at the top of this page. Activities like the following may result in suspension or cancellation of your SignalWire services:

  • making harassing phone calls or sending harassing messages
  • copying or reverse engineering SignalWire products and services
  • recording phone or video calls without proper consent of participants
  • being in breach of your payment obligations

The full list of rules, rights, and expectations are listed in the SignalWire Cloud Agreement and Messaging Code of Conduct you accept when creating a SignalWire account. The Cloud Agreement is the legally binding authority on fraud and other prohibited uses, so please refer to the full document for topics not covered here.

What to expect if you are flagged for a violation​

Unintentional fraud will be monitored by SignalWire staff and carriers, and services may be suspended or revoked after multiple offenses. Intentional fraud will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Please note that in response to fraud or other prohibited activities, SignalWire may suspend your right to access or use any portion or all services. You remain responsible for all fees and charges you incur during the period of suspension.

While the consequences of the offenses listed on this page are outlined in the SignalWire Cloud Agreement and Messaging Code of Conduct, SignalWire will give our customers the benefit of the doubt. Even if your account is flagged for fraudulent activity, we can often work with you to make sure the mistake is not repeated.