Measures to combat scam messages further strengthened – consumer vigilance still required

The reliability of text messages will improve from 4 May 2026, as sender identification and verification of the right to use sender IDs will become mandatory for organisations sending text messages to citizens. The aim of the revised regulation issued by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom is to prevent scam messages sent in the name of organisations. The reform will not affect messaging between consumer mobile subscriptions.

For consumers, the change will be visible in that the sender ID will appear as “Unknown”  if the operator cannot reliably identify the sender.

“Following the change, spoofing of Finnish phone numbers and alphanumeric sender IDs will, as a rule, no longer be possible. This will increase trust in messages sent by companies and authorities to their customers,” emphasises Chief Specialist Klaus Nieminen.

Received a text message from “Unknown”? – Proceed with caution and verify the sender

If the sender’s right to use the sender ID cannot be verified, the operator may block the message or deliver it to the recipient with the sender ID shown as “Unknown”. Such messages should be treated with caution. Particular care is always needed if the message contains a link or requests personal data.

“If you receive an expected message labelled ‘Unknown’, we recommend verifying its authenticity with the presumed sender,” advises Senior Specialist Kimmo Martikka.

It is likely that not all organisations sending messages, for example those based abroad, have had time to prepare for the change. As a result, in the initial phase, even legitimate text messages may appear on phones with the sender ID “Unknown”. In addition, some phone models may have settings enabled that automatically direct certain messages to a spam or junk folder. Traficom considers it possible that, following the change, scammers will increasingly use foreign phone numbers.

Traficom reminds consumers that it is always advisable to treat messages with caution if they request immediate action or include a link. A sense of urgency and unfamiliar links are often signs of a scam.  

“The new requirement will significantly improve the reliability of text messaging services, but it will not eliminate risks entirely. At Traficom, we will monitor the effects of the change and work closely with the entire sector to further improve message security. We are also continuously developing new ways, in cooperation with companies and other authorities, to tackle scams targeting citizens and businesses,” says Nieminen.