Non-registered SMS to be labelled ‘likely-scam:’ IMDA

Starting 31 January, the IMDA mandated the registry to SSIR.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) declared that businesses sending SMS using alphanumeric Sender IDs are mandated to register with the Singapore SMS Sender ID Registry (SSIR) to shield consumers against non-registered short text messages.

In a statement, IMDA said non-registered SMS will be indicated as Likely-SCAM and consumers will be told to be cautious when engaging with these texts.

Businesses that are unregistered will also be advised to do so before the deadline.

As of January 2023, more than 1,200 businesses were registered with the SSIR. 

The new mandatory SSIR regime is part of an ongoing multi-layered approach to boost protection against scams and has already led to a 64% reduction in scams via SMS from the fourth quarter of 2021 to second quarter of 2022.