The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is urging businesses and organisations to act now and register their branded SMS sender IDs before new anti-scam rules begin on 1 July.
Branded sender IDs, the name shown at the top of an SMS such as 'AusPost', 'StarTrack' and 'myGov', allow businesses and organisations to clearly identify themselves when sending appointment reminders, account alerts, delivery updates, security codes and other messages.
From 1 July, SMS sent using an unregistered branded sender ID will display the word 'Unverified' instead of the brand name. They will also be grouped with messages from other unregistered senders, including potential scams.
ACMA member Samantha Yorke said businesses should not wait until the last minute to act.
"If you use branded SMS, contact your telco or messaging provider now to register your sender ID," Ms Yorke said.
"Messages labelled 'Unverified' may be ignored or deleted by customers who are on high alert for scams. That puts legitimate communications and brand trust at risk."
Ms Yorke said the new SMS Sender ID Register is designed to protect both consumers and businesses by making it far harder for scammers to impersonate trusted brands.
"Scammers rely on familiar names to make fake messages look real. Registering your sender ID helps customers recognise genuine messages and strengthens confidence in branded SMS," Ms Yorke said.
Thousands of organisations have already registered their sender IDs, including Coles, Australia Post, AAMI, StarTrack, EnergyAustralia and the Australian Taxation Office.
A list of participating telcos and messaging providers is available on the ACMA website at Approved telcos and message providers for the SMS Sender ID Register.
Information, user guides and fact sheets about the SMS Sender ID Register are available on the ACMA website at Sending text messages with your business or organisation name.
