In 2018, a cross-sector working group was set up to take a collaborative industry approach to tackling consumer fraud. As part of a market education and industry programme, in 2019, MEF became the independent secretariat of a trial of a Proof of Concept for an SMS SenderID Protection Registry backed by National Cyber Security Centre (government), UK Finance (Banking trade body) and Mobile UK (MNOs trade body).
In April 2020 the Registry supported an industry effort to prevent fraudsters sending scam text messages that were seeking to exploit the Covid-19 crisis with joint efforts continuing with this combat today. Read the full details here.
The success in the UK paved the way for the launch of a second Registry in Ireland in July 2021, followed swiftly by a third Registry in Spain later that same year.
With strong interest from numerous other Territories, we are optimistic further Registries will soon follow.
Reducing the impact of Smishing & Spoofing by SMS through industry collaboration enabled the UK Registry to move to an ‘Industry Solution’ in January 2022 with the Ireland & Spain Registries following suit in 2023. In September 2024 MEF launched a fourth registry covering the Crown Dependencies (Jersey, Guernsey and Island of Man).
With 70 Merchants participating across the board, the Registries help protect circa 200 bank and Government brands. UK alone has over 750 trusted SenderIDs registered along with over 3,800 unauthorised variants being blocked on an ever-growing list, a 6th of which relate to the Government’s Coronavirus campaign.
The Registry also has the co-operation of the UK’s leading Aggregators as well as smaller messaging providers who understand the importance of industry collaboration. The SMS Works, a UK SMS API provider has put together a guide to help the SMS industry identify and prevent potentially fraudulent SMS activity. To request your copy please contact us using the form on this page.
