# POL-186 — The terms should say the subscriber warrants the number is theirs

> The SMS terms should state that the subscriber warrants the number is their own and will tell the brand if it changes or is deactivated.

- **Rule ID:** POL-186
- **Layer:** Policy pages (`POLICY_PAGE`)
- **Checks:** `SMS terms body`
- **Severity:** MEDIUM — Usually survives review, but lowers your trust score or invites manual review.
- **When it bites:** Gates approval — get this wrong and registration is refused
- **How it is detected:** AI judgement over the crawled website or policy page
- **Fix type:** Fix the privacy policy or SMS terms
- **Required by:** CTIA, Klaviyo
- **Applies:** Applies to every 10DLC registration.
- **Canonical URL:** https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/policy-page/pol-186/

## Why this rule exists

Numbers are recycled constantly, so a consented number becomes a stranger's number without anybody doing anything wrong — and the stranger receives marketing they never asked for. The clause is what makes the carrier deactivation files the brand is expected to check into a shared responsibility rather than a one-sided cleanup.

## How to fix it

Add the warranty and the notification duty to the terms, and pair it with checking deactivation data on your side. Done when the terms say the number must belong to the person who gave it.

## Example of a compliant value

```text
By joining you confirm the mobile number you gave us is yours. Please tell us if it changes or you stop using it, so we do not text someone else.
```