From Jul. 1, 2024, all Singapore government SMSes will be sent via a single sender ID to allow easier identification of legitimate SMSes from government agencies.

In a joint statement on Jun. 13, Smart Nation Group, Open Government Products and the Singapore Ministry of Communications and Information said that all government updates will be communicated and sent from the "gov.sg" sender ID.

This means that the sender ID will not show as an individual government agency and will instead include the service or agency name at the top of the message to prevent scams arising from government official impersonation.

Government SMS updates to be expected

The initiative will be introduced progressively to the public from Jun. 18, 2024.

The government has partnered with SMS aggregators and all telecommunications service providers, as well as their respective sub-brands operating in Singapore, to safeguard the gov.sg sender ID from being spoofed.

The agencies said that SMS "remains a key platform for government communications to the public in Singapore", with more than 100 million SMSes being sent to provide important updates such as policy changes.

Deputy Secretary of Smart Nation Group, Sim Feng Ji, said: "This consolidated 'gov.sg' SMS Sender ID is designed to give the public added confidence and ease of mind when it comes to identifying legitimate SMSes from government agencies."

Members of the public can expect SMSes from agencies using the "gov.sg" sender ID, such as the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board, Housing Development Board, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and the Land Transport Authority.

Some such communications include updates on personal CPF accounts, season parking and passport or Identity Card (IC) renewal matters.

Exceptions for emergency services and National Service matters

The "gov.sg" sender ID will not apply to communications about National Service matters and emergency services.

These include updates from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Singapore Police Force (SPF), and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) regarding natural disasters, emergencies, or police services.

SMS updates from these agencies will be sent using various unique sender IDs, such as "POLICE 999" and "SCDF 995" (w.e.f. Jul. 1, 2024, formerly SCDF995).

Top photo via Open Government Products, Government Technology Agency of Singapore