SMS impersonation occurs when anyone using a bulk SMS service sends a message with phone number of another individual as the sender ID. The message will reflect on the recipient's phone as coming from the impersonated GSM line. This has been one of the dark spots of bulk messaging for years all over the world.

To prevent further occurrence of such, MTN Nigeria has implemented a system where phone numbers used as sender IDs will not be delivered as such but with some numbers replaced with xxxxxxx. For instance, should 07034243326 be used as sender ID, it will be delivered as 0703xxxxxxx.

Should you have been using phone number as the sender ID your messages in the past, we suggest that you use a descriptive sender ID henceforth. This will help the recipients to easily identify you as the sender.

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