SMS Consent

Last updated: October 8, 2026

A listed phone number is not consent

Many sellers include a phone number in a listing on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or another marketplace. Publishing a number in a listing does not mean the seller has agreed to receive text messages, and dealerships may not treat it that way. A dealership may text a seller through VinQuire only after the seller has agreed to it, as described below.

How consent works

1. The dealership finds a vehicle. A dealership employee identifies a private seller's vehicle they are interested in buying.
2. The dealership asks first, without texting. The employee asks the seller for permission to continue by text, using a channel other than SMS — the marketplace's own messaging, a phone call, or in person.
3. The seller is told what they are agreeing to. The request identifies the employee and the dealership, explains that the texts will be about the seller's vehicle, and states that message frequency varies, message and data rates may apply, the seller can reply STOP to opt out or HELP for help, and agreeing is not required to sell the vehicle. It links to our Privacy Policy and Terms.
4. The seller affirmatively agrees. The seller says yes, and gives or confirms the number to text. Silence, or not answering, is not agreement.
5. The dealership records the consent. The dealership keeps a record of who agreed, the number, the date and time, the channel, and what was agreed — for example, a copy of the marketplace conversation.
6. Only then does texting begin. The dealership texts the seller only about that vehicle and only at the number the seller agreed to.

Example consent request

A dealership employee might send this through the marketplace's messaging before texting:

What the messages are

Texts are conversational and sent one at a time by the dealership, from a phone number assigned to that dealership. They are about the seller's vehicle only:

• whether the vehicle is still available;
• questions about its condition and history;
• purchase offers and negotiation;
• scheduling an inspection, test drive, or purchase, and reminders of an appointment the seller agreed to;
• follow-ups about that transaction.

They are not marketing or promotional messages. Message frequency varies depending on the active conversation about the vehicle. Message and data rates may apply.

How to stop or get help

Reply STOP to any message to stop receiving texts from that dealership. Reply HELP for assistance, or email support@hooptie.io. Consent to receive texts is not a condition of selling your vehicle or of purchasing any goods or services.

Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Privacy

SMS opt-in consent and phone numbers collected for SMS communication purposes will not be sold, rented, or shared with third parties or affiliates for their marketing or promotional purposes. Our messaging provider, Twilio, and mobile carriers process this information only to deliver the messages. See our Privacy Policy for details, including how to ask for access to or deletion of your information.

What VinQuire enforces today

We want this page to describe exactly what the product does. Here is the current state:

Until in-app consent recording is available, dealerships are required by our Terms to obtain and keep their own record of consent before texting any seller.

Contact

HOOPTIE IO LLC
Dover, Delaware
support@hooptie.io