SwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

PTS wants a register against scam SMS

A public register, where organizations can protect their sender name. It is one of the proposals from the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) to counter scams via fake SMS.

» Published: December 17 2024

PTS wants a register against scam SMS
Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT

Phone scams are a major social problem that can affect many individuals very hard, says Acting Director-General Catarina Wretman at a press conference.

Since the beginning of November, telephone operators must stop calls from abroad that appear to come from fixed, Swedish numbers.

According to the PTS, between 40,000 and 50,000 calls are blocked every day with the support of the rules, which will also apply to Swedish mobile numbers from March 3 next year.

However, SMS from fake senders are still a major problem.

Manipulated numbers

PTS is now proposing a voluntary register where companies and organizations can protect their sender names.

The idea is to combat so-called spoofing, i.e., scammers using manipulated numbers. This can involve SMS that appear to come from a bank or an authority.

With a register, the recipient of an SMS could check if the sender is registered, according to PTS.

The register will then be used by operators to filter out fake SMS. As a citizen, you can log in and check the register to see if it's a company that has registered, says Wretman.

The register is proposed to be voluntary and not mandatory, as the latter would be too costly for small businesses. According to the PTS report, a fee will need to be charged for those who register their sender name due to administrative costs.

Organized crime

According to Minister for Civil Affairs Erik Slottner (KD), who received the PTS proposal on Tuesday, it is a priority issue to combat fraud crimes.

This is a crime that not only affects individuals very hard but is also part of serious organized crime, he says.

Finland has recently introduced a similar register as PTS is now proposing.

Although there is no official statistics yet, the initial experiences seem to be positive. That makes it even more interesting, says Slottner, who cannot say when and if the proposals will become a reality.

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Five Hospitalized After Car Collision in Hällefors

Five Hospitalized After Car Collision in Hällefors

Teachers in Adult Education Feel Pressured to Inflate Grades

Teachers in Adult Education Feel Pressured to Inflate Grades

Goldfish Threaten Native Fish in Swedish Waters

Goldfish Threaten Native Fish in Swedish Waters

Oxygen Fluctuations May Have Spurred Evolutionary Leap 540 Million Years Ago

Oxygen Fluctuations May Have Spurred Evolutionary Leap 540 Million Years Ago

Sunny Sunday Ahead for Sweden with Mild Temperatures and Wind Warnings

Sunny Sunday Ahead for Sweden with Mild Temperatures and Wind Warnings

Three-Year-Old in Sweden Recovering After Balcony Fall

Three-Year-Old in Sweden Recovering After Balcony Fall

Influenza Cases Decline in Sweden as Peak Season Passes

Influenza Cases Decline in Sweden as Peak Season Passes

Join the Global Earth Hour Tonight to Highlight Climate Action

Join the Global Earth Hour Tonight to Highlight Climate Action

Liberals Push for Ban on Foreign Ownership of Swedish Private Schools

Liberals Push for Ban on Foreign Ownership of Swedish Private Schools

NSAIDs Show Effectiveness for Acute Back Pain, Study Finds

NSAIDs Show Effectiveness for Acute Back Pain, Study Finds

Västerås Ends Contract with Attendo Amid Fraud Investigation

Västerås Ends Contract with Attendo Amid Fraud Investigation

Explosion Rocks Residential Area in Norrköping, No Injuries Reported

Explosion Rocks Residential Area in Norrköping, No Injuries Reported

Suspected Object Closes E22 Near Malmö; Bomb Squad Investigates

Suspected Object Closes E22 Near Malmö; Bomb Squad Investigates

60 Telephone Poles Mysteriously Disappear in Sweden

60 Telephone Poles Mysteriously Disappear in Sweden

Child Seriously Injured After Falling from Fourth-Floor Balcony in Mölndal

Child Seriously Injured After Falling from Fourth-Floor Balcony in Mölndal

16-Year-Old Arrested in Connection to Skurup Murder Plot

16-Year-Old Arrested in Connection to Skurup Murder Plot

Mother Sentenced to Prison for Leaving Baby Alone to Party

Mother Sentenced to Prison for Leaving Baby Alone to Party

Swedish Court Convicts Man in 2018 Eskilstuna Shooting Cold Case

Swedish Court Convicts Man in 2018 Eskilstuna Shooting Cold Case

Court of Appeal Acquits Man of Murder, Upholds Rape Conviction

Court of Appeal Acquits Man of Murder, Upholds Rape Conviction

Two Charged in Borås Gang-Related Murder Case

Two Charged in Borås Gang-Related Murder Case

Suspected Dangerous Object Prompts Evacuation in Södertälje

Suspected Dangerous Object Prompts Evacuation in Södertälje

Koran Burner Murder Case: All Suspects Cleared, No Arrests Made

Koran Burner Murder Case: All Suspects Cleared, No Arrests Made

Abisko Avalanche Tragedy: Manslaughter Probe Targets Tour Operator

Abisko Avalanche Tragedy: Manslaughter Probe Targets Tour Operator

Woman in Her 30s Charged with Murdering Elderly Relative in Vadstena

Woman in Her 30s Charged with Murdering Elderly Relative in Vadstena

Condom Use Declines Among Nordic Youth, Report Finds

Condom Use Declines Among Nordic Youth, Report Finds

Fatal Fire in Jämtland Cottage: One Dead, Another Injured

Fatal Fire in Jämtland Cottage: One Dead, Another Injured

Heathrow Closure Disrupts Flights for Swedish Travelers

Heathrow Closure Disrupts Flights for Swedish Travelers

Sweden Tightens Citizenship Rules to Enhance Security

Sweden Tightens Citizenship Rules to Enhance Security

Man Sentenced for Smuggling Over 2 Million Cigarettes to Norway

Man Sentenced for Smuggling Over 2 Million Cigarettes to Norway

Swedish Police Face Million-Kronor Fine Over Rain Gear Purchase

Swedish Police Face Million-Kronor Fine Over Rain Gear Purchase

Sweden Halts Vehicle Inspections for Emergency Alarms Amid Network Changes

Sweden Halts Vehicle Inspections for Emergency Alarms Amid Network Changes

Kristersson Unaware of Deleted Email in Landerholm Case

Kristersson Unaware of Deleted Email in Landerholm Case

Mystery Deepens Over Trollhättan Neck Ring: Is It Really Gold?

Mystery Deepens Over Trollhättan Neck Ring: Is It Really Gold?

Swedish Agriculture Board Rethinks Controversial Animal Space Rules

Swedish Agriculture Board Rethinks Controversial Animal Space Rules

Missing Skiers Found After Avalanche Near Abisko National Park

Missing Skiers Found After Avalanche Near Abisko National Park

E6 Landslide Probe in Stenungsund Delayed Until Summer

E6 Landslide Probe in Stenungsund Delayed Until Summer

40 Suspects Tied to Malmö Prostitution Ring at Thai Massage Parlor

40 Suspects Tied to Malmö Prostitution Ring at Thai Massage Parlor

Swedish Climate Goals at Risk: Experts Criticize Kristersson's Leadership

Swedish Climate Goals at Risk: Experts Criticize Kristersson's Leadership

Sweden's Government Rejects Experts' Call for Higher Fuel Taxes

Sweden's Government Rejects Experts' Call for Higher Fuel Taxes

Bribery Investigation at Karolinska Hospital Ends Without Charges

Bribery Investigation at Karolinska Hospital Ends Without Charges