In 2026, i3forum, a global industry association, launched a dedicated "Messaging Fraud Work Group" to address the growing threat of A2P SMS fraud. The work group aims to benefit the entire telecommunications ecosystem through knowledge sharing, industry insights, and cross-domain collaboration. Prior to this, i3forum’s anti-fraud work group released new "Know Your Customer" (KYC) and "Know Your Traffic" (KYT) guidelines in 2025, helping operators identify and block malicious and fraudulent communications at the source and laying a solid foundation for further action in 2026.
In terms of specific work priorities, i3forum will focus on analyzing how to leverage artificial intelligence to detect, prevent, and mitigate fraud, and will launch independent workstreams to advance SMS anti-fraud efforts. Meanwhile, i3forum is promoting the establishment of an industry data and information sharing framework to facilitate collaborative anti-fraud efforts among operators and build a joint defense mechanism. In addition, i3forum is paying close attention to fraud risks associated with emerging communication technologies, and has listed integrated messaging approaches for A2P/RCS/WhatsApp as one of its key research topics for 2026, taking a proactive approach to preventing potential fraud vulnerabilities in new communication channels.
A series of initiatives by i3forum reflects the shift of industry organizations from "reactive response" to "proactive defense" when addressing global fraud issues. By establishing industry collaboration mechanisms, introducing AI technology tools, and conducting forward-looking research on emerging communication protocols, i3forum is building a solid line of defense against A2P SMS fraud for the global telecommunications industry.
