SMS Sender ID Registry - What you need to know

From 3 July 2025, any SMS sent from an unregistered Sender ID will show up on your phone as ‘Likely Scam’. Even if it’s from a genuine business that just hasn’t registered yet, it will still get flagged.

If you receive one of these messages, play it safe:

• Don’t click on any links

• Don’t call any phone numbers in the message

• Look up contact details directly through a web search

This is part of a wider effort by ComReg to reduce the huge impact of scam texts in Ireland — which currently costs consumers and businesses over €115 million.

Looking ahead, even stricter measures are coming. From 3 October 2025, SMS messages from unregistered Sender IDs will be blocked altogether, meaning you won’t receive them at all.

If you run a business or organisation that uses SMS to communicate (especially with custom Sender IDs like ‘MyClinic’ or ‘YourBank’), now’s the time to act. You must register your Sender ID with ComReg. Registration is free and is being processed on a first come, first served basis. You can either register directly or have your SMS provider do it for you.

Just to clarify: this applies only to alphanumeric Sender IDs — names or phrases used instead of a number. If you're using a short code (like 53xxx), that’s handled through a different registration process.

These changes are designed to protect everyone and help restore trust in SMS as a safe way to communicate. Let’s stay ahead of the scams.