Art Art
Insights
January 23, 2025

What Is SMS Spoofing and How Mobile Network Operators Can Prevent This Fraud?

What Is SMS Spoofing and How Mobile Network Operators Can Prevent This Fraud?

SMS spoofing has long posed a major challenge for Mobile Network Operators. Moreover, many MNOs remain unaware of how much revenue they lose due to this fraud. In this article, we explore how SMS spoofing affects Mobile Network Operators and what strategies help prevent this expanding threat.

What Is SMS Spoofing?

SMS spoofing appeared in the early 2010s, when SMS became a popular communication channel. With the development of telecommunications technologies and SMS gateways, attackers found ways to manipulate the sender IDs by faking their number or name. For the user who receives a falsified SMS from a trusted source like a bank, insurer, or a well-known brand such as Apple and Facebook, it looks real and legitimate, but in fact it is fake.

This poses big problems, since the illusion of trust increases the risk that a receiver will follow the instructions in the SMS and stumble upon phishing and malware infections. SMS spoofing also creates significant challenges for Mobile Network Operators. Fraudsters often use inexpensive international routes, bypassing telecom operators’ filters, which significantly reduces revenue from legal traffic. Additionally, this overloads the infrastructure and poses serious reputational risks for MNOs.

How SMS Spoofing Works

The sender ID (the name or phone number displayed in the message) is typically assigned by the mobile operator. During the SMS spoofing, the attacker sends an SMS and specifies a fake sender ID. This can be either real (for example, another person’s number) or entirely fictitious. The roaming network data (SCCP address) is also spoofed so that the home operator’s network (HPLMN) believes that the message is actually sent from a roaming user. The home network recognizes it as “legitimate” because it looks like roaming communication and goes through an international gateway, which is often less secure.

The fraudster’s goal is to trick the operator’s home SMS center (SMSC) into sending a message from a “stolen” SMS center to numbers inside or outside the network. This tactic is often used to send bulk spam messages or fraudulent SMS, bypassing filters and paid tariffs. Some fraudulent hubs also use this tactic to manipulate A2P messages. Instead of delivering paid A2P messages, they replace them with cheaper or even free P2P messages. This enables scammers to cut expenses and result in losses for companies that pay to deliver A2P messages.

How to Protect Your Business from SMS Spoofing

The SS7 network, which is a key part of the telecommunications infrastructure, is flexible and transparent, but at the same time highly vulnerable to attacks. Weaknesses in SS7 allow attackers to launch various fraud schemes. And of course, SMS spoofing is just one of the threats. As a result, the need for constant monitoring and protection of this network becomes more obvious.

SMS fraud, particularly with A2P messages, can lead to significant financial losses and reputational scandals for Mobile Network Operators. We offer a solution that helps mobile operators track the interaction of international A2P services with their customers. With this system, you will receive a comprehensive, detailed report about the A2P SMS delivery routes and promptly identify fraud, violations, and any manipulation of messages. We offer customized solutions tailored to the specific needs of the client and can also organize a test check of the system to demonstrate the effectiveness of the tool.