What is a trust score?


Once you submit a 10DLC registration form to Scale to Win, it’s processed by mobile carriers and their vetting partners. They will check the organization’s identity to confirm who is sending the text messages. 


As part of this process, the Brand’s (aka the sender’s)  EIN, legal name, and legal address are checked against government (IRS) records. Organizational history and size also play a role for 501(c) non-profits, government organizations and private entities. 


This process results in a “trust score” that determines how many text messages the Brand can send at a time. Mobile carriers have set caps on how many texts can be sent to their customers and that cap is based on the trust score.


  • Trust scores that result in a sending cap primarily affect non-political groups like 501(c) non-profits, and private entities, setting limits on how many texts they can send a day to T-Mobile customers. These limits can range from 2,000 to 200,000 combined SMS segments and MMS messages a day to T-Mobile customers.

  • 527s (political Campaigns, Parties, and PACs) are exempt from the trust score process because they submit a Campaign Verify token along with their 10DLC registration form which gives access to uncapped sending. 

  • As long as the government organization’s identity can be verified against the EIN, legal name, legal address, and organization history, it will have automatic access to uncapped sending. 

  • Private entities interested in texting from a 10DLC number as themselves should contact our support team at support@scaletowin.com. Political consultants and resellers should register their individual clients separately.


Factors impacting your organization’s trust score


We want to ensure all 501(c) non-profits, and private entities get the highest score possible so they can send as many texts as possible. In order to do that, we review your 10DLC registration form and check the following information before submitting it to external vendors for identity vetting.  


Category

Description

Reference Check

Tax ID

The US EIN is recognized by the IRS 

Look up the EIN here

Legal Name

The legal name of the organization matches the EIN

Does the legal name match the EIN? Does that legal name appear on an IRS form (e.g. Letter of Determination or 990 filing)? 

Address

The address*, including the street, city, state, and zip code of the organization can be verified against IRS documents

*a P.O. Box address is difficult to verify and almost always lowers a trust score

Does the address match the EIN? Does that address appear on a an IRS form (e.g. Letter of Determination or 990 filing)? 

Email Address

The primary contact email address matches the domain of the website

Matching Example: yourname@yourorgname.com


Mismatch Example: 

yourname@gmail.com

 

Improve your organization’s trust score


We can make a case for an appeal to increase your organization’s trust score and increase the daily T-Mobile sending cap. We will reach out for additional documentation that can be submitted with the appeal, including: 


Document

How can this help?

Recent 990 full filing

Confirms address, organization size, assets

Letter of determination from the IRS

Confirms 501(c) non-profit status. Required to successfully appeal as a 501(c)3 nonprofit

Form 8976 - Notice of Intent to Operate Under Section 501(c)(4), either the original submission or IRS receipt

Confirms 501(c)4 non-profit status

Application for recognition of exemption (i.e. Form 1024-A, or Form 1024)

Confirms tax-exempt status, for 501(c)4s only


Annual reports showing impact (i.e. providing the size of volunteer programs or membership

Provides size of volunteer programs, membership

Public filings

Another way to confirm address, organization status, and legitimacy