Is RCS the answer to tackling 100 million scam alerts?

By Sophie Cheng, SVP Marketing, Sinch

As telecom operators prepare for year-end launches and peak messaging volumes, one priority is transforming the customer relationship:  trust. The urgency is clear with Ofcom, the UK's regulator for the communications industry, proposing new rules to block scam texts, after reporting 100 million suspicious messages last year.

This increase in scam activity highlights why the ability to deliver secure, engaging, and verified communications is becoming a competitive differentiator, and Rich Communication Services (RCS) is emerging as a key enabler.

Nearly 60 percent of industry leaders familiar with RCS already consider it game-changing. These insights point to a clear opportunity for operators to modernise messaging infrastructure and strengthen consumer confidence, thereby turning the challenge of smishing and spoofing into a catalyst for trust-first innovation.

Verified messaging and consumer trust

With inboxes flooded and fraud on the rise, consumer trust in digital communication is under pressure.  According to Sinch’s State of RCS report, half of European consumers have mistaken a legitimate brand message for a scam, while 74 percent say they’re more likely to trust messages that include verification signals like a brand logo or checkmark. This presents a clear opportunity for operators to lead with trust-first messaging strategies and RCS is a powerful enabler.

Features like branded sender IDs, logos, and verified checkmarks help consumers instantly recognise legitimate alerts, reducing the risk of fraudulent activity. For operators, verified messaging strengthens their position as trusted enablers of brand-consumer communication and adds value to their messaging services. But trust is only part of the story and performance matters too.

Performance that builds confidence

Beyond trust, features like read receipts, branded profiles, and delivery analytics give operators and enterprise clients deeper visibility into message engagement. This data can be used to optimise campaigns, troubleshoot delivery issues, and improve the overall quality of service.

Importantly, RCS platforms offer seamless SMS fallback, ensuring that messages reach their destination even if the recipient’s device or network doesn’t support RCS. This hybrid approach maintains reliability while unlocking richer experiences where possible. With mobile operating systems like Apple’s iOS 26 introducing filtered inboxes that separate unverified senders, verified messaging is no longer optional for maintaining visibility and engagement.

Unlocking new value through interactive journeys

Operators are beginning to see RCS as more than just a channel for alerts or one‑time passwords. Increasingly, they’re experimenting with how it can become a full customer engagement channel, powering richer, interactive journeys that go far beyond transactional messaging. Think device upgrades where a customer can browse specs, compare options, and confirm their choice without leaving the thread; product launches that feel like immersive campaigns delivered straight into the inbox; or real‑time, in‑message support that resolves issues instantly.

For the customer, it’s a seamless, friction‑free experience. For operators, it means lower support costs, higher conversion rates, and a powerful new way to monetise messaging infrastructure while standing out in a crowded market. Ultimately, RCS is evolving from a basic notification tool into a platform for end‑to‑end experiences that blend marketing, commerce, and customer care in one seamless flow.

The road ahead

As the telecom ecosystem evolves, operators face the challenge of balancing innovation with integrity. RCS brings together security, engagement, and transparency, qualities that resonate with both enterprise clients and end users. By investing in verified messaging, delivery assurance, and interactive experiences, operators can cement their role in the digital customer lifecycle while unlocking new value across CPaaS, CCaaS, and mobility platforms.

In a world where consumers are increasingly wary of the messages they receive, trust has become the foundation of effective communication. With RCS, operators have the tools to build that trust, elevate customer engagement, and transform messaging into a true growth engine. Operators must move beyond pilots and proofs of concept, embrace RCS at scale, and lead the next era of trusted, interactive communication.