Spoofing SMS

Are you able to spoof messages or
know someone who can?

What is spoofing SMS and why is it NOT allowed?

Spoofing is done when the sender of the SMS manipulate the sender id and is done ligitimately or illegally.

Ligitimate uses takes place when the originating number or sender id is replaced with alphanumeric text - for example when a company send SMS and replace the originating number with it's name or a product name to appear on the mobile number when it arrives on the user's handset.

Illegal use takes place when a user roamed a foreign network, submitting messages to a home network hence basically "hi-jacking" the SMSC to send sms to their home network.

In illegal cases the home network can incur termation charges to to interconnect partners and secondly handset owners may complain that they are being spammed.  A much worse effect of spoofing is that the handset owners may be billed for the interconnect charges which will anger the subscribers.

So why does SMSwarehouse offer routes with alphanumeric sender id?

All clients using the SMSwarehouse dynamic sender id or alphanumeric sender id routes, are subject to signing our anti-spam agreement in which we state clearly that spoofing for illegal purposes will not be allowed.

In the anti-spam agreement you will also see a condition where handset owners have to have given permission to receive the SMS and and opt-out option have to be presented to the handset owner.

As a result of spamming and spoofing complaints, some International networks are restricting the sender id in order to curb spam.

In countries such as the United States, where handset owners pay for incoming and outgoing SMS, the use of a short code is required if you want to use your company name or product name as originator or sender id.

SMSwarehouse will ask for sample messages in order to advise clients of routing options available and clients would be required to sign anti-spam agreements.