In 2022, Australians were victimized by SMS scams to the tune of $6.5 million, a 188% increase from the previous year. Luckily, the country’s governing bodies and mobile operators decided to put their foot down and insist we know the identity of the person or company sending the text.
While rules have been in place to fight fraudulent activities, these organizations have recently upped the ante with the Telecommunications Amendment Bill of 2024, which requires a registry to track sender IDs to reduce scams. With this bill, registering your sender ID in Australia is essential if you want to use an alphanumeric number while staying compliant.
Read on to learn more about the bill and how to register.
What Is a Sender ID?
A sender ID is a name or number that appears as the ‘From’ when an SMS is received. The primary purpose of a sender ID is to identify the individual or business that sent the text. It could be a 5-, 6- or 10-digit number. Alternatively, you can replace these numbers with a customized sender ID consisting of a string of letters or numbers, known as an alphanumeric sender ID or alpha header.
Alphanumeric IDs are often used by businesses and organizations to display their company name when they communicate with their audience via text. While alpha headers make it possible to customize your sender ID, there are still some standard requirements:
- A maximum of 11 characters is permitted.
- Letters of the alphabet from A to Z and numerals from zero to nine are allowed.
- No special characters are allowed.
- While Australia permits the use of spaces, the carrier can also determine whether spaces are allowed.
- If the sender ID is numerals only, it must be a number the sender owns.
The Benefits of Alphanumeric Sender IDs
Receivers may be more likely to engage when they can tell who the message is from than when they receive an SMS from an unknown number. A significant advantage of using alpha headers is that they demonstrate the relationship between the sender and the receiver.
Along with increased engagement, sending messages with an easily recognizable sender can boost brand awareness, as your company’s name will be visible on your audience’s devices. Plus, you can develop tailored campaigns by customizing your originator address.
Many businesses and organizations can benefit from using customized sender IDs, such as:
- Banks
- Health care and dental facilities
- Government agencies
- Religious organizations
- Retail and hospitality businesses
- Gyms, salons and spas
- Nonprofit organizations
The Challenge With Alphanumeric Sender IDs
Though receivers are more likely to trust information sent from easily identifiable sources, scammers have taken advantage of this.
Alphanumeric numbers have been historically used to deceive recipients, as some SMS software providers have allowed customers to change their sender ID to whatever they want, multiple times even. A scammer could create fake sender IDs to make it seem as if they are sending messages from a reputable business, the government and even recipients’ mothers to appear as if its coming from an existing contact, when in fact they are setting receivers up for a scam.
For example, scammers may send SMS messages imitating legitimate brands like AusPost or Linkt to trick their targets into sharing sensitive information or sending them money. With scams becoming increasingly sophisticated, differentiating between fraud and genuine business communications becomes more challenging. As a result, both consumers and businesses can be at risk.
So, while alpha headers can have a far better open rate and brand recognition than just a 10-digit number or a short code, there are some drawbacks. In addition to being used as a tool in fraudulent schemes, alphanumeric sender IDs only allow for one-way communication, meaning that the recipients of your SMS cannot reply. Plus, these numbers are only supported in certain countries, one of which is Australia.
To prevent recipients from falling victim to scammers, carriers and government agencies in these countries have recently been cracking down on alphanumeric sender IDs.
Australian Regulations Surrounding Sender IDs
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), a branch of the Australian government, has diligently fought for and protected citizens. In 2022, the ACMA implemented the SCAM code, under which telcos must identify, track down and filter out SMS scams by blocking texts that are red flags. The organization also recently registered new rules, making these companies even more responsible for what is sent over their networks.
The Telecommunications Amendment Bill of 2024 gave the ACMA the authority to create an SMS Sender ID Register, aiming to reduce impersonation scams using fake sender IDs. Any company looking to use an alphanumeric sender ID must now register with the ACMA or contracted service provider, prove who they are, how the number will be used and what types of messages they will be sending. With this, carriers will be able to monitor who’s sending what with the intent to block malicious SMS messages.
How to Register Your Sender ID in Australia
All of the telcos require slightly different specifics. However, you’ll generally need to provide the following basic information when registering your sender ID:
- Information about your business: This usually includes your Australian Business Number (ABN) and certificate, company address and authorized administrator information, and, in some cases, your trademark registration.
- Information about what you’re sending: This can include the type of messages you’ll send under the sender ID, message samples and how the chosen ID relates to your business.
Registering with an SMS solutions provider, such as Red Oxygen, is one of the simplest ways to send texts with an alpha header. We’re proud to say that we have always had our thumb on the sender ID option. To prevent our customers from sending spam or scams, we’ve always required that they contact us if and when they want to use a sender ID and we’ll assist them in adding it. So, nothing’s changed there.
With the new regulations, we’ll supply your information to the ACMA at no extra charge to ensure you stay compliant. While there is no cost to register with the organization, using an alphanumeric sender ID requires a small fee. If additional costs due to registration or carrier changes were to arise, we’ll pass them on to you without a markup.
Register Your Sender ID Through Red Oxygen
Red Oxygen is here to make sending SMS messages easy for businesses like yours. That’s why, along with helping you create and register your sender ID, we provide various solutions that aim to simplify how you communicate with your customers. Our platform allows you to send texts from a computer to any mobile device, to an individual receiver or your entire contact list.
With over 20 years of industry experience, you can trust Red Oxygen to help you abide by Australia’s regulations, increasing the likelihood of your messages being delivered. Plus, our personalization features can further enhance these chances.
If you are ready to get started, request a demo today!
