Text message scams have cost Australians millions of dollars in 2024, and the government has announced a new tool designed to help reduce these losses.
A mandatory SMS sender identification registry will require telecom providers to check whether messages sent under a brand name match the legitimate sender on record.
If the sender ID is not in the register, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will block the SMS or include a warning.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the register would be an “important tool” to protect Australians from increasingly sophisticated fraudsters.
“We have all received scam messages on our phones claiming to be from trusted sources – and it costs Australians millions of dollars every year,” she said.
“This mandatory registry will allow these messages to be blocked or flagged as scams, better protecting consumers from deception.
“In this way, the registry will also help restore trust in communications received from legitimate organizations and make Australia an even more difficult place for fraudsters to exploit.”
The registry is designed to prevent fraudsters from using the names of trusted brands, including banks, service providers or government entities – such as ANZ, Linkt or myGov – and misleading recipients into making it appear that the fraudulent messages come from reputable sources.
According to Scamwatch, more than $11 million in losses from text message scams have been reported this year so far. It is also the most frequently reported fraudulent contact method, with over 68,000 incidents recorded.
Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones said the register would help “strengthen defences” against fraudsters.
“Fraudulent text messages bombard Australians 24/7. The registry will help stop this by disrupting the fraudsters’ business model,” he said.
The creation of a mandatory register follows legislation passed earlier this year and is part of a series of government measures designed to make Australia the “world’s toughest target” for fraudsters.
The government says it has provided $10 million to ACMA as part of the 2023-2024 federal budget over four years to launch and maintain the register.
It should be open for registration of sender IDs from the end of next year.
While development is ongoing, the pilot SMS Sender Identification Register, established by ACMA and industry last December, will continue to operate.
