Beginning July 1, almost all SMSes from government agencies in Singapore will use a unified sender ID, “gov.sg,” to help the public easily identify legitimate government communications.
New Identification System
Previously, messages were sent with various sender IDs, such as “MOH” for the Ministry of Health or “Iras” for the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore. From now on, these messages will consistently show “gov.sg” as the sender ID. Each message will start with the full name of the agency sending it and will end with a note indicating it is an automated message from the Singapore Government, clarifying that recipients should not reply.
Gradual Rollout
The transition to the new sender ID will be gradual, starting from June 18. Over a two-week period, government agencies will begin adopting the “gov.sg” sender ID, with full implementation by July 1.
Exceptions to the Rule
However, there are exceptions to this new system. SMSes from the Defence and Home Affairs ministries regarding national service matters and emergency services will continue to use different sender IDs, maintaining their specific identification protocols.
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