A sender ID is a customized (or verified) name of who is sending a message to your phone. For example, it could be a phone number or shortcode. It can also be a limited number of characters/Alphanumeric sender IDs, eg, TERMII20.
Sender IDs represent the brand name a recipient of an SMS/text will see displayed when they receive a message and is mostly used as a single-way communication with your customers.

The importance of sender ID verification
One major reason to consider using a verified sender ID to send out your messages is to wade off potential scammers or hackers from using your brand or company name to send out messages to people without your knowledge or consent.
An unverified sender ID or ‘Spoofed’ Sender ID (Spoofing occurs when a hacker or scammer uses the custom name of a well-known brand or company to send SMS messages to people) puts your identity/brand/or company at the risk of being used to defraud or scam unsuspecting people. This can be achieved in the following ways highlighted below:

1. Social hacking: Describes the act of attempting to manipulate outcomes of social behavior through orchestrated actions. The general function of social hacking is to gain access to restricted information or to a physical space without proper permission (Wikipedia). Scammers pose as popular social media websites, linking users to a fake login page in a bid to extract login details. Once these details are obtained, the hackers can then go on to use real social media accounts to further access a person’s digital life and financial information

2. SMS malware: Is a type of malware that manipulates devices to send and intercept text messages resulting in SMS charges. The user is usually not aware of the activity (Wandera). Here, links are sent as messages to mobile devices, which will trigger a download of malware that is installed on the device.

3. SMS phishing or smishing is a form of criminal activity using social engineering techniques. Phishing is the act of attempting to acquire personal information such as passwords and details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication (Wikipedia). For example, a scammer posing as a bank to send messages with a link to a fake banking website requesting that users log in with their passwords.

Asides these attacks, an unverified sender ID also be damaging to brand or business’ reputation as spam messages and abusive content can be sent in their names to unsuspecting mobile users. These attacks become easier with an unverified or spoofed sender ID. And not only is this subjected to well-known brands but small business owners as well.

As with SMS Sender ID registrations, short-codes (and long codes) for two-way SMS have to be checked and verified across the entire messaging value chain — all the way to specific mobile network operators, within specific countries. Because the attacks mentioned above don’t necessarily require a link to a spoofed or unverified website, with two-way SMS, scammers can also receive responses from users.

The global SMS messaging ecosystem is not the same, because rules and laws have developed over the years to keep pace with technology and regulations vary by country. Thus, the process of appropriately registering a Sender ID or short-code becomes more complex as a business or brand operates in more countries — even if the Sender ID should be the same in every geographical market. Some countries have a lengthy registration process through MNOs (mobile network operators), while others don’t even allow alpha Sender IDs.

According to reports, Messaging fraud costs the world $2bn annually, and since mobile users trust SMS more than any other messaging platform, if the industry does nothing to tackle spoofing, messaging adoption could fizzle out and innovation could be crippled.

Termii as a participant in this industry is striving to provide an exceptional service to businesses and brands sending business-centered messages through our platform. And to this effect, are working coordinately to protect our customers’ brands and their customers from fraud or any illegitimate dealings. Therefore, we are crystal-clear about how we do things as a company and hope the same from our customers.

To learn more on how you can verify your sender ID on Termii, send us a mail to sales@termii.com or visit www.termii.com

A common shortcoming of most small and medium enterprises, as it relates to digital marketing, is inconsistency in engaging their customers and audience online. And as a result, are unable to build a strong community of active audience (actual and potential customers) around their products or services.

Inconsistency in posting engaging contents, delayed response to enquiries and comments made via websites or social media accounts, use of low-quality images, to mention a few, have implications on customers’ perception about a brand’s image.
It is not enough to invest in digital marketing but more rewarding to be consistent with every digital marketing tactic you adopt.
There is a messaging platform that guarantees a quality response to all your digital marketing needs. and ensures consistency through active engagement through various channels.

To learn more about this, you can put a call through to 09024244654
Cheers to a satisfactory digital marketing experience!

This thread shows you how you can effectively run your marketing by choosing a good service provider.

More than half of the world’s population has had at least one mobile subscription. With a large number of individuals having access to mobile phones — businesses have found messaging technology to be a perfect tool to interact with customers. With the current tool — Email and SMS, you could reach a large number of customers at a single click.

With the help of Email and SMS communication platform, one could send promotions, alerts, and notifications etc., to a large number of target groups rapidly on PC, laptop, tablet, or even a cell phone, and more so in a convenient manner. Now the question is how do you choose the best Email & SMS marketing platform for your business? What should you look out for?

When choosing an Email/SMS provider, whether they are promotional, value-based, OTP and other services, in order to get the right provider that works for you, the viability of your choice should rely on factors such as speed, delivery rate, adaptability, security, customization and reliability. Here are tips that you should consider while choosing a bulk SMS or Email service provider for your business:

Easy to use
Creating and sending an instant message should be a quick and simple process. Look out for a provider that offers a free trial to test the SMS software to ensure their platform is the one for you.

Security
Safety of your private information is crucial in the business world. You want to make sure no matter which provider you choose, your data and information is safe and secure.

Delivery rate:
You want your messages to arrive at the sender as soon as possible with the least amount of deferrals. Look at a provider that has a fast delivery rate or one that has real-time data, showing messages that you have sent and if any did not deliver to the intended sender.

Authenticity:
The messaging service should be an authentic one that gives true reports, so you can track the delivery status of every SMS and Email sent. Make sure the potential provider does not supply counterfeit conveyance date to compensate for the low costs.

Experience
Before choosing a provider, make sure they have satisfactory industry experience. Do they have ‘big clients’ that use them? Do they have a lot of clients? How long have they been in the industry? etc

Easy integration for Email and SMS API
APIs allow developers to integrate into their existing systems. API’s ensure you can connect easily to the SMS gateway and gives you the capability to deliver and receive messages to and from any application. You want to look out for a platform that can easily be incorporated with your current systems. A perfect example of a good messaging platform would be Termii, tested as one of the best Email and SMS providers that help businesses enhance customer engagement and retention in Nigeria and Africa at no high cost.

Customer service:
An expert messaging provider will have reliable support, advice for your campaigns and/or questions that may arise. Customer service should be a key part of your email and bulk SMS provider and not just affordable messaging costs!

If you are considering the option to pick a second-rated Email & SMS provider due to trying to save cost, you could destroy your reliable reputation and creditability. It is important to note that cheap bulk SMS/Email providers reflect a lack of investment in the instant messaging framework; queuing messages, making your messages late. It is important to know the scope of every possible bulk SMS and email provider before choosing one!
You can visit termii.com or send me an email via sales@termii.com to learn more. Or simply ask your questions in the comment section

Cheers guys