SMS numbers

Your customers can buy a temporary phone number for a service’s verification code (Telegram, WhatsApp, and so on). Numbers come from your HeroSMS or 5sim account (see Connecting a provider). This page describes HeroSMS; 5sim works the same way, with the differences listed at the end.

SMS numbers need the SMS numbers module in your plan; without it, everything on this page is hidden from you and your customers (see Plan modules).

What you sell

Each HeroSMS position is a service in a country, for example “Telegram — Indonesia”. Add the ones you want from Services → New services, give them a price like any other service, and make them visible. A position shows up for customers under SMS numbers only while:

• it’s visible and priced,
• HeroSMS reports numbers in stock for it,
• and your HeroSMS provider is healthy (see provider health in Connecting a provider).

Prices are per number, in your wallet currency.

How a purchase works

1. The customer picks a position and presses Get a number. The price is held from their balance, not charged yet.
2. HeroSMS sells a number. The customer sees it right away and uses it where the service asks for one. The page updates on its own every few seconds.
3. When the code arrives, it’s shown to the customer and the held amount is charged. This is the only moment money moves to you.
4. If no code arrives before the number expires (the expiry time is on the screen), the number is canceled at HeroSMS and the held amount goes back to the customer’s balance.

Cancelling

A customer can cancel a number and get the held amount back, but only:

• after the first 2 minutes (numbers can’t be canceled right after purchase), and
• while no code has arrived.

The rule is enforced on the server, not just on the screen. If HeroSMS refuses the cancel because a code may have just arrived, the number stays open and the code is shown as soon as it comes.

Protecting your margin

Every purchase tells HeroSMS the most it may charge you for the number: your price minus your minimum margin, converted to HeroSMS’s currency with your exchange rate. If HeroSMS has no number at or below that, nothing is bought and nothing is charged. If your price no longer leaves room for your minimum margin above HeroSMS’s current cost, the position isn’t sold until you adjust it.

Protecting your provider account

Every number that ends without a code, because the customer cancelled it or it ran out of time, counts against your account with the provider. Too many, and the provider can stop selling to you. So one customer can have at most 10 numbers end without a code in any 24 hours. After that they can’t buy another number until some of those are more than a day old, and they’re told why. Numbers that got their code don’t count.

If one customer cancels many orders in a short time, you’re also told under the bell (see Notifications).

When something goes wrong

• HeroSMS refuses the purchase (no numbers, no balance on your HeroSMS account, a bad key): nothing is bought, and the customer’s money is released immediately.
• HeroSMS doesn’t answer clearly (a timeout or a server error): a number may have been sold, so the money stays held and the order goes to your Orders page as an unknown order to resolve by hand (check your HeroSMS account), the same as for SMM orders.

5sim

5sim numbers are sold, cancelled and charged exactly as above, with these differences:

• Which operator. Every purchase asks 5sim for a number from any operator, capped at the most it may charge you. That’s the only way 5sim honours a cap. A position’s cost is therefore the dearest price among operators that have numbers, so your margin holds whichever one 5sim picks.
• 5sim ends numbers on its own. A number that gets no code within about 15 minutes is ended by 5sim. The held amount goes back to the customer as soon as the platform sees it, even before the expiry shown on the screen.
• Your 5sim rating. 5sim rates your account from 0 to 96. Numbers that end without a code lower it, and at 0 your account can’t buy anything for 24 hours. The rating is checked on every sync. Below 30, your 5sim numbers stop being sold and you’re told under the bell. They come back on their own once the rating is 30 or more again. If 5sim refuses a purchase for a low rating, sales stop straight away. The rating is shown under your provider.
• Paused by the platform. If something goes wrong with 5sim purchases, the platform can pause them, for every business or just for yours, until it’s fixed. While they’re paused, your 5sim positions aren’t shown to customers and can’t be bought; a customer who tries sees that numbers from this source are paused, and nothing is charged. Numbers already bought are unaffected: they still get their code, can still be cancelled, and are released as usual. HeroSMS numbers keep selling.