UK Cracks Down on Fake Number Scams with New Telecoms
Scammers who hide behind fake phone numbers will soon be exposed under a new partnership between the UK Government and Britain’s biggest mobile operators, aimed at protecting the public from fraud.
A landmark Telecoms Fraud Charter, signed at the BT Tower, brings together BT EE, Virgin Media O2, VodafoneThree, Tesco Mobile, TalkTalk, Sky, and Comms Council UK. The agreement introduces advanced security measures to safeguard mobile networks and block fraudulent calls.
Under the new commitments, mobile networks will upgrade their systems within a year to prevent overseas call centres from spoofing UK numbers. This will make it clear when a call originates abroad and help expose scammers’ lies.
The plan also includes AI-powered call monitoring, enhanced data sharing with police, and faster support for victims, who will now receive assistance within two weeks.
Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said:
“Spoofed calls allow scammers to deceive the public with fake identities. This government is committed to tackling fraud. Call spoofing will be eliminated within a year, stripping scammers of the tools they use to cheat people.”
Industry leaders welcomed the initiative, calling it a major step forward in the fight against fraud. Vodafone, Virgin Media O2, and BT highlighted their ongoing efforts, including blocking millions of scam texts and calls each month.
The new Charter builds on recent government action with international partners to disrupt global scam operations and forms part of the UK’s wider Fraud Strategy to make the country the hardest place in the world for scammers to operate.
