A text message register blocking scammers from impersonating government agencies and businesses will be investigated as a new tool to protect people from fraud.
The Albanese government has tasked the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) with looking into a potential SMS sender ID register, which is being used in other countries to stop scammers.
Sender ID scams work to trick people that they have received legitimate messages from government agencies or businesses including MyGov or from banks, and often request the details for accounts.
The register can act as a blocking list to stop actors from pretending to be trusted brands.
The ACMA will consider different register models, and will report back to the government on what they think is the most appropriate for the Australian market.
Telecommunications providers are required to identify, trace and block SMS scams under laws.
90 million SMS' have been blocked by the nation's telcos since the rules were introduced in July last year.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the government was focused on strong compliance and enforcement to combat scammers.
"Fraudsters cause financial and immeasurable emotional and mental stress by impersonating legitimate organisations every day, and we thank the ACMA for its important work to help protect Australians," she said.
Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said with Australians losing about $4 billion every year, "enough is enough".
"Everyone needs to take this seriously, from banks to telcos to social media platforms," he said.
