New rules target SMS scammers
From 1 July 2026, text messages that claim to be from a business, bank, government agency or other organisation will be clearly identified if the sender has not been verified.
The changes are part of a new SMS Sender ID Register, introduced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), aimed at stopping scammers from impersonating trusted brands.
Under the new framework, any business or organisation that sends texts using a branded sender ID, such as a business name, must ensure that identifier is formally registered.
Messages sent with an unregistered sender ID will be flagged as ‘Unverified’ on customers’ phones.
‘Unverified’ messages will be grouped together in a single message thread on phones.
An ‘Unverified’ message could be a scam, but it may also come from a legitimate organisation that has not yet registered its sender name.
ACMA says consumers should treat these messages with caution, especially if they ask for personal information, contain links, or request payment.
ACMA advises:
- Don’t reply
- Don’t click on links
- Don’t share personal or financial information
- Don’t send money.
If a message claims to be from a bank or government service and you’re unsure, contact the organisation directly using contact details from its official website, not those in the message.
Head of Bank Resilience and Financial Crimes Sarah Hamilton said the changes would help ensure trust in SMS communications.
“Branded SMS messaging has long been an important way for businesses and organisations to alert customers about account activity and potential fraud,” Ms Hamilton said.
“The Sender ID Register helps ensure that when our customers see our name on a message, they can trust it’s genuinely from us.”
The rules only affect text messages from branded senders and would not apply to phone numbers. ACMA says messages from unknown numbers should be treated with caution.
Ms Hamilton said organisations had been working with their telecommunications companies to register approved sender IDs.
“Registered sender IDs will give customers extra confidence and make it harder for scammers to exploit trusted brands,” she said.
Australians lost more than $13.8 million to text message scams in the first nine months of 2025.
ACMA says the new system will make it easier for people to recognise trusted messages and harder for scammers to exploit well known organisations.
Learn more at acma.gov.au/sms-sender-id-register
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