In 2021 alone, $2 billion was lost to SMS scams with 67,000 text message scams reported to scam watch.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority have created tough new rules that will require the telcos to crackdown on SMS scammers targeting Australians. The new rules will require all telecommunications providers to identify, trace and block SMS scams.

John Stanton, CEO of the Communications Alliance told Oliver Peterson on Perth Live that these new rules are a new industry code that the telecommunications will need to follow.

“We have seen a growth that is happening in SMS scams. We’ve had success in blocking around 600 million scam phone calls but clearly we needed to address the SMS side of the fence,” he told Oly.

“Not only is it annoying, it is dangerous as well. We’ve had $6,500,000 this year defrauded out of Australians pockets. And they’re getting better at it, that;s the unfortunate thing.”

Press PLAY to hear how these new rules can protect you from SMS scams