SMS Sender ID Register

When a text arrives showing a name like “AusPost” instead of a number, that name is a sender ID. Scammers have spent years abusing them to impersonate trusted brands. Since 1 July 2026, every branded sender ID used for texts to Australian numbers must be registered with ACMA.

The consequence of not registering is visible to every customer. Unregistered names are replaced with the label “Unverified”, and those messages get grouped into a thread alongside other unregistered senders — including the actual scams. A legitimate appointment reminder sitting in the scam pile tends to get ignored or deleted.

What to do: if your booking system, CRM, or SMS tool sends texts under your business name, check the sender ID is registered. Registration goes through your telco or messaging provider, not ACMA directly — most platforms have a page for exactly this.

If your texts send from a plain mobile number, nothing changes for you.