As Sender ID Registry deadline looms, does SMS still matter? 

ABOUT a year ago, a wave of SMS spoofing scam incidents dominated headlines in Singapore. Among the most high-profile cases were customers of a well-known local bank, who collectively lost more than S$13.7 million, as well as love scams and con job openings.

One year on, Singapore has come a long way in strengthening its preparedness and capabilities in preventing such SMS-targeted scams. Public awareness and education campaigns have been rolled out nationwide. Younger and more tech-savvy citizens are also playing a more active role in helping senior members of their households stay alert.

In addition, the government has mandated that all organisations join the Singapore SMS Sender ID Registry (SSIR) if they want to continue using branded Sender IDs.