Brazil creates registry and blocking of short codes to curb SMS scams
Carriers will have up to 90 days to block messages from unregistered senders and monitor suspicious campaigns; Anatel, the telecom regulator, will oversee implementation.
Translated from the Portuguese original by the Panorama newsroom. Read in Portuguese
Summary written by the Panorama newsroom from the sources listed below. Facts are attributed to the original publications.
Brazil's federal government published on Wednesday (4), in the Official Gazette, a set of rules to fight scams and fraud carried out by SMS, g1 reported. The main novelty is a public registry of companies responsible for sending messages through short codes, the few-digit numbers that appear as the sender instead of a full cellphone number.
Under the new rules, carriers must block the delivery of SMS sent from unregistered short codes. Each code must be used by a single company, with possible exceptions upon technical justification to the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel). Carriers will also have to automatically monitor messages to identify suspicious campaigns and sender spoofing.
Companies involved in the sending chain will need to verify the identity of those who hire them, keep records and cooperate, when asked, to identify and stop campaigns with consistent signs of fraud. The measures must be adopted within 90 days, a deadline that may be extended, and Anatel will oversee implementation.
According to the Ministry of Communications, the change responds to the rise in digital scams, driven by the expansion of online services. A survey by Cetic.br conducted in August showed SMS among the means most used by scammers to approach victims, at 71%, behind messaging apps (84%) and phone calls (79%).
G1 said it contacted Anatel and Conexis Brasil Digital, the association representing telecom carriers, and was awaiting a response as of publication.