SMS Assistant — Opt-in Flow
Last Updated: May 2026
Toll-free number: Available to verified app users after in-app phone verification
This page documents the opt-in flow for the Finance Forecaster SMS Assistant. Carriers and aggregators reviewing our toll-free verification can use this page as the public reference for how subscribers consent.
What the SMS Assistant Does
Finance Forecaster is a personal finance app. The SMS Assistant is a conversational AI feature for verified app users. After opt-in, users text natural-language questions to our toll-free number — "what's my buffer," "what bills are coming up," "can I afford a $200/mo gym" — and receive personalized answers based on their own account data.
The Assistant is user-initiated only. We never send unsolicited messages. The Assistant does not send marketing, promotional, or third-party content.
How to Opt In
Opt-in happens exclusively inside the Finance Forecaster mobile app (iOS, with Android planned). Users must be signed in to opt in; there is no web form, no third-party form, and no purchased lists.
1Open Settings → SMS Assistant
From inside the app, the user navigates to Settings → SMS Assistant and taps "Set up SMS Assistant."
They are shown a short description of what the SMS Assistant does and the consent terms (message frequency, message and data rates, opt-out instructions) before any data is collected.
SMS Assistant
Text your personal AI finance assistant from your phone.
By continuing, you agree to receive automated SMS messages from Finance Forecaster about your account. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies, up to 30 messages per day. Reply STOP to opt out at any time, or HELP for help.
Set up SMS Assistant
2Enter Phone Number
The user enters their phone number in E.164 format (the app's input mask enforces this) and taps Send verification code.
Tapping this button is the consent action. The app's local copy makes it clear: by tapping it, the user agrees to receive the verification SMS and subsequent SMS conversations with the Assistant.
Your phone number
We'll text you a one-time code to confirm this is your number.
+1 (555) 123-4567
Send verification code
Tapping Send means you agree to receive SMS from Finance Forecaster. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.
3Receive the Verification SMS
Our backend sends a 6-digit code via the toll-free number. The verbatim message body is:
Your Finance Forecaster verification code is 482196. It expires in 10 minutes. Reply STOP to opt out.
The code is single-use and expires in 10 minutes. We send at most one code every 60 seconds and no more than five per hour per number, to deter abuse.
Your Finance Forecaster verification code is 482196. It expires in 10 minutes. Reply STOP to opt out.
Received via toll-free number, just now
4Enter the Code in the App
The user types the 6-digit code back into the app and taps Confirm. The backend validates the code via a timing-safe hash comparison. If correct, an AgentChannelIdentity record is created binding the verified phone number to the user's account with a verifiedAt timestamp.
Up to five wrong attempts are allowed before the code is rejected; the user must then request a new code.
Enter the code
We just texted a 6-digit code to +1 (555) 123-4567.
4 8 2 1 9 6
Confirm
Didn't get it? Resend in 0:42.
5Confirmation Screen
The confirmation screen shows the required CTIA disclosures together. This is the user's final visual record of the consent they just gave.
✓
You're verified.
You can text the Finance Forecaster assistant at the number above.
Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies, up to 30 messages per day. Reply STOP to opt out at any time. Reply HELP for help. Your phone number will not be shared or sold to third parties for marketing.
Done
Consent Disclosure Text (verbatim)
The exact disclosure shown to users during the in-app opt-in flow:
By continuing, you agree to receive automated SMS messages from Finance Forecaster about your account. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies, up to 30 messages per day. Reply STOP to opt out at any time, or HELP for help. Your phone number will not be shared or sold to third parties for marketing. View our
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service.
Opt-out and Help
Users may opt out at any time by replying any of: STOP, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT (case-insensitive). The system replies once with:
You've been unsubscribed. Reply START in the app to re-enable.
Replying HELP or INFO returns:
Message Frequency and Volume
- All inbound messages are user-initiated. We never send unsolicited messages.
- Per-user rate cap: 30 messages per hour, 100 messages per day.
- Estimated typical user volume: 5–30 messages per month.
- The Assistant replies in 1–3 SMS segments per turn depending on the response length.
Data Practices
- Phone numbers are stored encrypted at rest (AES-256-GCM).
- Phone numbers are not shared or sold to third parties for marketing or any other purpose.
- Conversation contents are retained for 30 days for context continuity and then automatically deleted; tool-call audit records are retained for 7 years for compliance.
- The Assistant accesses only the user's own Finance Forecaster account data — never another user's data.
Compliance References