Don’t Let Fraudulent Messages Chase You: Decode Before You Click

⚠️ Every day, millions of Indians are targeted by fake SMS messages—some claiming urgent bank alerts, others impersonating government bodies. But what if there's a way to identify authentic messages just by reading their sender ID?

Welcome to your first line of defense in SMS-based scams: understanding Sender ID suffixes—a powerful filter enabled by India’s DLT-based telecom regulations.

What Are Sender IDs and How Does India Regulate Them?

In India, bulk and commercial SMS messages (like OTPs, promotions, alerts) are governed by the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018 (TCCCPR 2018), issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

To tackle spam, phishing, and fraud, TRAI introduced DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology)–based platforms across all major telecom operators (e.g., Jio, Airtel, Vodafone Idea). Under this:

• Every sender (like a bank, school, or business) must register their message templates and sender ID.

• Sender IDs follow a specific format, including a 2-character prefix and a classification suffix.

• This suffix helps identify who is sending the message and why.

Structure of Sender ID:

XY-ABCDEF
|   |
|   └─ Sender’s custom name(header assigned to the Principal Entity)
└──── Telecom header(Originating Access Providers + License Service Area of OAP)

☆ Find the TRAI Compiled list of SMS Headers here.

TRAI-Recognized Classification of Sender ID Suffixes

TRAI has announced a new compliance requirement under the TCCCPR 2025 Amendment, mandating that all SMS headers (Sender IDs) include a message-type suffix. This update, effective from May 6, 2025, aims to enhance transparency and help mobile users identify the nature of messages they receive. Accordingly, Sender IDs fall into different categories based on their purpose.

Example:
Sender ID: VM-FEDBNK-S

• "VM" = Vodafone, Maharashtra

• "FEDBNK" = Federal Bank

• “-S” = signifying a service

Why This Knowledge Matters

• Sender ID suffixes are not just technical tags. They are government-enforced indicators of the message’s purpose and intent, added automatically through the DLT system.

• The type of content must match the sender ID’s suffix. When it doesn’t, it’s a red flag.

• Legitimate brands are generally not allowed to send OTPs or urgent service alerts using promotional headers. So if a promotional message (“-P”) asks for an OTP, payment, or personal information, it could be fraudulent.

• If you receive a transactional message (“-T”) message from an unknown sender or brand you’ve never dealt with, treat it with suspicion, it may be an attempt to impersonate a legitimate entity.

• Service messages (“-S”) may include links, but they should not contain OTPs or ask for payments. If they do, it could be a compromised or spoofed header.

• Government messages (“-G”) are used exclusively by authorized government departments. These messages are informational in nature, and payment instructions or web links should only point to official “.gov.in” domains. Any message claiming to be from a government department that ends in anything other than “-G”, or uses a suspicious URL, should be reported.

This simple awareness can help every mobile user in India—whether tech-savvy or not—instantly filter suspicious messages without relying on third-party apps. It's a low-tech, high-impact method of scam filtering that doesn’t require an app—just attention.

Tips to Protect Yourself from SMS Scams

Use the suffix method as your first filter, and combine it with these practical habits:

1. Investigate before trusting.

2. Always verify links. Legitimate government links usually end in “.gov.in“.

3. Never enter personal or bank details on unfamiliar URLs.

4. You may download and use the TRAI DND app to report spam SMS instantly.

5. You may also use Spam Protection Tools. Most smartphones have built-in SMS spam filters—turn them on.

In a world full of digital noise, scammers exploit the tiniest details—like sender IDs—to trick you. But now you know how to read those hidden signs. Next time an SMS asks you to “verify your bank account urgently” or “update KYC,” stop. Look at the suffix. Check the link. Stay alert.

Let’s make India cyber-aware, one message at a time.

Have you encountered any fake SMS recently? Drop a comment or share your experience. It might help someone else!

Stay aware. Stay safe.