Crackdown on Scam Calls Mimicking UK Phone Numbers
- tech360.tv
- Jul 30, 2024
- 2 min read
Millions of questionable calls from scammers abroad will be prevented under new UK telecom legislation. Phone operators must ban calls from abroad that resemble UK numbers beginning in January 2025. Ofcom encourages businesses to create innovative ways to prevent fraudsters impersonating UK mobile numbers.
Ofcom has declared that phone operators would now be obligated to prohibit calls from abroad that mimic UK landline numbers, a technique known as "spoofing".
This new guideline, set to take effect in January 2025, aims to protect people who are more likely to trust a call if it shows a UK number on their device. Ofcom has also urged businesses to develop "innovative solutions" to tackle fraudsters who create phoney UK mobile numbers.
"In 2024, just under half of UK landline users (48%) said they’d received a suspicious call in the last three months," highlighted Ofcom. The regulator added, "A common tactic used by criminals to defraud victims is to imitate or "spoof" phone numbers from a trusted person, organisation, or government department, so their calls are more likely to be answered"
The implementation of these enhanced blocking measures is anticipated to have a substantial impact on shielding the public from scam calls, as per Ofcom. A recent survey of around 2,000 participants indicated that some people received an average of two fake calls every day, with the older population over 75 being most vulnerable to scammers.
Lindsey Fussell from Ofcom emphasised, "Scam calls can result in significant financial and emotional harm to victims. They can also lead to a reduction in trust in telephone calls," These measures follow Ofcom's consultation period, during which BT voluntarily intercepted "up to one million calls per day".
To avoid falling prey to scammers, Ofcom encourages users not to rely only on their phone's caller ID. It also warns against sharing personal information in response to incoming calls. If you believe you have been targeted by Caller ID spoofing, Ofcom suggests contacting Action Fraud at 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.
Millions of suspicious calls from scammers abroad to be blocked under new UK telecoms regulations
Requirement for phone companies to halt calls from abroad mimicking UK numbers effective from January 2025
Ofcom urges firms to develop innovative solutions to combat fraudsters imitating UK mobile numbers
Source: BBC
