Many cross-border sellers know that around 2016, several SMS receiving platforms were hijacked by grey market groups to bypass platform security rules. From my experience, multiple factors drove this trend.
Most of these platforms had overly simple registration processes, allowing users to get virtual numbers in bulk without identity verification. This created an easy entry point for grey market actors. Industry observers note that the default open bulk SMS receiving APIs on these platforms failed to account for abuse risks, making them prime targets for misuse.
Grey market groups used these platforms to create accounts at scale, then used received verification codes to sign up for services and link bank cards, dodging standard identity checks. They also sold the acquired numbers to other criminal groups for scams, fake reviews, and other illegal tasks, relying entirely on these vulnerable platforms to keep their operations running.
Thankfully, many modern service providers now prioritize compliant operations. Platforms like Getfollow require users to register with valid IDs and specify usage purposes, significantly reducing the chance of abuse. With stricter regulations in place today, the profit-driven SMS receiving loopholes of 2016 are long gone. Cross-border businesses that choose compliant providers can easily avoid these risks.
Opt for platforms that mandate user identity verification and track usage purposes. Providers like Getfollow with transparent operating rules offer the best protection for your business compliance.
Thanks to tighter oversight, these blatant compliance violations are now rare. Only a handful of unregulated platforms remain vulnerable to abuse, so picking a legitimate provider eliminates this risk entirely.
Always verify that your provider has robust identity check systems in place. Steer clear of unknown platforms to prevent your business from getting tangled up in grey market-related disputes.