Ofcom Announces Tough New Rules to Defeat Mobile Scammers

Mobile phone users in the UK are set to receive much stronger protection from scam texts and "spoofed" calls, following a robust package of measures finalised by Ofcom today.

With fraud making up roughly 45% of all reported crime in England and Wales, these new rules aim to shut down the gaps that international criminal gangs exploit to target British consumers and businesses.

How scammers exploit mobile networks. Source: ISP Review

 

Why Now? The Scale of the Problem

• The Cost: In 2025 alone, victims in the UK lost a staggering £1.28 billion to fraudsters.

• The Reach: Four in ten (40%) UK mobile users report receiving at least one suspicious message in the last three months.

To address this, the UK communications regulator is introducing strict new requirements for mobile providers to intercept scams at their source.

How the New Rules Work

The strategy splits mobile scams into two main categories: person-to-person (P2P) and business (A2P) messaging, applying targeted rules to block both.

1. Person-to-Person (P2P) Scams

These occur when a fraudster uses a standard SIM card to impersonate a friend or family member in distress (e.g., the infamous "Hi Mum" text).

• Action taken: Providers must collect scam data from customers and anti-fraud organisations, block identified numbers, and dynamically filter out messages containing known malicious weblinks or phone numbers in transit.

• Volume Limits: Strictly limiting the number of texts that can be sent from pay-as-you-go SIM cards to prevent automated mass-messaging.

2. Business Messaging Scams

This is where scammers hijack or fake corporate sender names (like bank or courier names) to make their phishing links look authentic.

• "Know Your Customer" (KYC): Strict background checks on new businesses before they can send mass messages.

• Sender ID Verification: Providers must verify that the business sending a text actually owns the sender ID (e.g., stopping a sender claiming to be a delivery company if they are registered as a local hair salon).

• Incident Management: Swiftly rooting out scammers and holding platforms accountable if they fail to perform proper due diligence.

Cracking Down on "Spoofed" Foreign Calls

Additionally, Ofcom is tackling the menace of international calls that disguise themselves with UK mobile numbers to trick people into answering.

Under the updated guidance, UK telecoms networks must withhold caller ID displays for any incoming international call mimicking a UK mobile number—unless the network can prove the caller is a legitimate UK customer roaming abroad.

What You Can Do

While these network-level defences will significantly reduce the number of scam messages slipping through, some may still occasionally bypass filters.

Important: If you receive a suspicious text, call, or message, you can help train the network filters by forwarding the message or reporting the number to 7726 (which spells "SPAM" on an alphanumeric keypad). This service is completely free and helps providers quickly shut down active scam runs.

If you have fallen victim to a scam and lost money, report it immediately to Action Fraud (by visiting www.reportfraud.police.uk or calling 0300 123 2040) or to Police Scotland by calling 101.

Source: Ofcom 

5 scam calls and texts to watch out for

You're much more likely to answer a call or text that comes from a familiar contact, but criminals can use software to change the number displayed on your phone – they can even mimic your bank's phone number.

This is known as number spoofing, and despite efforts by the government and mobile networks to stop it, fraudsters continue to exploit loopholes to carry out their schemes. We reveal the latest tactics and give you four ways to avoid number-spoofing scams

Source: Which? (29 Apr 2026) 

Protect yourself from number spoofing scams

Caller and sender IDs can be useful, showing you a number or name when you get a call or text. But criminals can use easily available software to change the number displayed on your phone – copying a trusted contact or business – to try to trick you into answering.

Our scams expert, Chiara Cavaglieri, explains how number spoofing works and how you can protect yourself against it.

Tactics revealed

Source: Which? (11 Sep 2025) 

A bizarre case of 'number spoofing'

We heard from someone left very confused because they received a text from what appeared to be their own number. Although the message seemed innocuous enough, one thing seems likely: it's a case of number spoofing, where scammers are able to display a false caller ID to prevent any comeback for their crimes.

Should they simply delete the message and block the number? Find out what we recommend you do if you receive a similar message.

Find out more about this tactic

 

Source: Which? (01 May 2025)

A convincing new Gmail scam

Fraudsters have impersonated Google by 'spoofing' a Google email address and support page in a convincing and widespread scam.

Spoofing is when scammers disguise themselves with a genuine email address and phone number. This can make it difficult to spot a scam, unless you know what to look for – our scam experts show you the signs so you can avoid falling victim.

Watch out for this Gmail scam

Source: Which? (23 Apr 2025)

Scammers Beware: UK Phone Providers Crack Down on Spoofed Calls

In the ongoing battle against scam calls, a major victory has been secured. As of today, UK phone providers are required to block international calls that mimic UK landline numbers. This strengthened industry guidance from Ofcom is a significant step in protecting consumers from fraudulent activity.

"Spoofing" – the practice of disguising a caller's real number – is a common tactic used by scammers. By imitating trusted UK numbers, such as those of banks, government departments, or even friends and family, fraudsters increase their chances of tricking unsuspecting victims. We're all more likely to answer a call from a familiar UK number than an unknown international one, and scammers know this.

How the New Rules Will Help:

From today, phone companies must identify and block all calls from abroad that falsely display a UK landline number as the "Presentation Number" (the number you see on your phone screen). There are a few limited exceptions for legitimate international calls, but these will be strictly controlled.

This new measure builds on previous efforts to block calls from abroad that use a UK number as the "Network Number" (the origin of the call). The impact of these measures is already clear. BT, for example, reported blocking up to one million scam calls per day within the first month of voluntarily implementing similar measures. Ofcom’s guidance now makes this crucial protection standard practice across the entire telecoms industry.

What About Spoofed Mobile Numbers?

While this is a huge step forward, the fight isn't over. Ofcom recognises that scammers also spoof UK mobile numbers and is working on solutions to tackle this issue. Last year, they sought input on the best technical approaches and are expected to announce their proposed next steps later this year.

A Collaborative Effort:

Today's strengthened guidance is a vital tool in disrupting international scammers. By blocking calls that falsely display UK landline numbers, it makes it much harder for these criminals to reach their targets.

Ofcom is committed to working alongside the police, other regulators, and the telecoms industry to protect consumers from scams. The upcoming measures to combat spoofed mobile numbers will further strengthen these efforts. This is a war of attrition against scammers, and these new rules are a powerful weapon in our arsenal. Stay vigilant, but rest assured that the UK is taking serious action to protect you from these fraudulent calls.

Source: Ofcom (29 Jan 2025)

Clamping Down on Scam Calls from Abroad

Tired of those pesky scam calls? Good news! Ofcom are cracking down on fraudsters who use fake UK numbers to trick you.

Phone companies will now have to block calls from abroad that pretend to be from a UK landline. This means fewer of those annoying and potentially harmful calls landing on your phone.

Ofcom are also investigating ways to stop scam texts and asking for your input on how to tackle this problem.

Want to know more? Read the full story on their news centre.

#scamcalls #phonesafety #ofcom #protectingconsumers

Source: Ofcom (29 July 2024)

Scam Alert: Don't Fall for This Debit Card Phone Call

A local Borough resident received a call from a spoofed number '07719 127005' and alerted us to warn others.

Here's what you should do about the recorded message claiming a £900 purchase on your debit card:

Don't press any options or reply to the number.

This is a common tactic used by scammers. They try to trick you into giving them your personal information or confirming the fake transaction.

Here's what to do instead:

1. Contact your bank directly. Look for the phone number on the back of your debit card or your bank's website. Don't use any phone numbers provided in the recorded message.
2. Explain the situation to your bank. Let them know about the suspicious call and the alleged £900 purchase.
3. Follow your bank's instructions. They will likely advise you to cancel your debit card and issue a new one.
4. Report the scam. You can report the scam to the National Fraud Reporting Service.

Additional tips:

• Be wary of unsolicited calls, texts, or emails, even if they seem to come from your bank.
• Never give out your personal information or card details over the phone unless you initiated the contact.
• If you're unsure whether a call is genuine, it's always best to err on the side of caution and contact your bank directly.

The number is spoofed and associated with a 'Telecoms Scam'.

Number Spoofing Scam

When somebody rings you, can you always trust the phone number that they are calling from? The answer is no, because scammers are increasingly using a technique called ‘number spoofing’, where they can mimic the number of a real company, and make it pop up on your phone screen when they call.

Nick Stapleton has been investigating number spoofing scams for BBC Morning Live, including a case where criminals spoofed the phone number of the UK Supreme Court to fool people into handing over their money.

Nick met with ethical hacker Doug Tognarelli, who works with businesses to increase their cyber security. In less than five minutes, he showed that he was able to spoof the phone number of the Supreme Court: the final court of appeal in the UK for all civil cases and most criminal ones.

Nick Stapleton met with Maia, a forensic scientist, who was scammed in May. She received a call saying she had been the victim of identity theft, and that someone from the Supreme Court would follow up directly. She was told to search for the court’s phone number online, and it did indeed match.

Maia told Morning Live: “They told me that they needed me to move my money to other safe accounts, because the investigation now will start, and then my bank accounts would be blocked. I was scared and I was like, hold on a second, Who am I transferring the money to? and the tone changed a bit; she was kind of threatening and told me that I had to cooperate”.

To make the scam more convincing, Maia was told the call was also being monitored by the Ministry of Justice, and that she would receive a further call from them. Again, the phone number tallied up with the official one for the government department, which oversees courts and prisons.

Maia felt pressured into cooperating with the caller, and she began to transfer money. After being on the phone for over two hours, she had transferred more than £10,000.

Maia started to feel suspicious; so she went to the Supreme Court’s website. There she discovered a warning about scammers cloning their phone number. She said: “I was in a state of shock, and then I said ‘you need to stop now, I know that you're a hacker. I'm going to call the police’. At that moment, she hung up.”

Maia reported the scam to her banks and luckily she was able to get most of her money back.

In response to the BBC investigation, a spokesperson from the UK Supreme Court said: “We know that scammers are cloning our phone number and logo and have advisory messages to the public on our website. We never call asking for money or threatening arrest and advise people receiving a call, letter, or email to follow the scams advice on our website.”

The Ministry of Justice told Morning Live: “We sympathise with anyone affected by these shameful scams. The Ministry of Justice will never contact you using an automated message. If you receive a call like this please hang up and report it to Action Fraud.”

The Do Not Originate list is designed to stop scammers using phone numbers to trick people. It’s run by communications watchdog Ofcom, and stops certain numbers from being spoofed before a call can connect. Companies, government agencies like HMRC, and other public bodies can add their phone numbers to the list (pdf).

Ofcom has told the BBC: “Scammers can cause huge distress and financial harm to their victims, and protecting people from harm is a priority for Ofcom. These criminals are becoming more sophisticated and tackling them requires efforts from a range of bodies. We’re working closely with the police, other regulators and industry to tackle the problem.

“One of our initiatives in countering scam calls is the Do Not Originate list. This has proved to be an effective tool, and we review and update the list regularly. We don’t make its contents public, to reduce the risk of scammers using this information to their advantage”.

Be Scam Safe. Remember:

• Never give out your personal information in response to an incoming call, or rely upon the Caller ID as the sole means of identification, particularly if the caller asks you to carry out an action which might have financial consequences. No legitimate organisation will ever ask you to transfer money over the phone.
• It’s OK to hang up on a caller if something doesn’t seem right. You could be stopping a scam from happening.
• If you want to check if it’s a genuine organisation that has called you, you can hang up and call them back. Call the phone number on the organisation’s website. Remember this scam only works with incoming calls, not outbound ones that you make.
• Wait for a few minutes before making the call - this ensures the line has cleared and you're not still speaking to the fraudster or an accomplice.
• If someone calls you saying they are from your bank, you can hang up and call 159 to be connected to most major UK banks.” 159 cannot be spoofed and will never call you.

Source: BBC Morning Live (23 October 2023)

UK Government Bans SIM Farms, Spoof Calls, and Cold Calls in New Plan to Stop Scams

https://twitter.com/RishiSunak/status/1653673803409510405?s=20

Today, we’re launching a new plan to stop scams at the source and help make it easier for people to protect themselves from fraudsters.

We’ll do everything possible to stop scammers:

• Banning SIM farms that can send thousands of texts in one go

SIM farms are technical devices that allow criminals to send scam texts to thousands of people at the same time. By banning SIM farms, we’ll make it much harder for scammers to reach people.

• Working with Ofcom to stop spoof calls, which trick people into thinking they’re speaking to legitimate businesses

Spoof calls are when scammers use a fake number to make it look like they’re calling from a legitimate business, like your bank or your energy supplier. By working with Ofcom, we’ll make it harder for scammers to get away with this.

• Banning cold calls on all financial products

Cold calls are when you receive an unsolicited call from someone trying to sell you a financial product, like insurance or a loan. By banning cold calls, we’ll make it harder for scammers to target people with these products.

We’re also going to do more to help people protect themselves from scams.

We’ll launch a new national awareness campaign to teach people about the different types of scams and how to spot them. We’ll also work with banks and other financial institutions to make it easier for people to report scams.

We know that scams can have a devastating impact on people’s lives.

That’s why we’re taking this action to stop them. We’re determined to make the UK a safer place for everyone.

If you think you’ve been scammed, you should report it to Action Fraud.

You can do this online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Source:

• https://twitter.com/RishiSunak/status/1653673803409510405?s=20
• https://twitter.com/RishiSunak/status/1653680918308036613?s=20
• https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-the-prime-ministers-fraud-strategy-means-for-you

Bogus caller ID to be blocked in bid to thwart scammers

 

click image to view enlarged

Phone networks will have a duty to block obvious scam calls under Ofcom plans

Scam callers will be blocked from displaying obviously fake caller IDs to potential victims under tough new rules.

The new measure aims to tackle the problem of 'number-spoofing' scams, in which scammers display fake numbers or text message shortnames to mask their true identity.

Loopholes in the current technology and regulation mean scam victims can receive, for example, calls that appear to come from the genuine helpline of their bank, or texts which display a bank's name.

Almost 45 million people were targeted by scam calls and texts in the summer of 2021, according to Ofcom.

Spot the difference of a scam text

It can be difficult to tell the difference between a scam text and one that’s legitimate.

Criminals use a technique called “spoofing” to make it look like you’re being contacted by a genuine organisation. Avoid clicking on any links, and instead log in to your accounts to update your information or make any payments. You should report scam texts to your network provider by forwarding them to 7726.

Fake emails posing as UK gyms

Both David Lloyd Clubs and PureGym are being spoofed in fake emails encouraging recipients to enter competitions to ‘win a membership’.

David Lloyd Clubs and PureGym have both confirmed to Which? that the emails are nothing to do with them. PureGym is working to get the fake website the email links to taken down.

Here’s what the fake emails look like.

Gym membership phishing

How to Spot Any Spoofed & Fake Email Scam

An extremely useful video and guide that shows how to spot the signs and what to look for and how to better protect yourself in a spoofed and fake email scam.

You may want a soft beverage, sit down and watch it a few times to get your head around it!

Needless to say do no click on links that turn out of the blue. Take time to research and check this blog for advice and further information on similar scams.

If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.

If you believe you are the victim of a fraud, please report this to Action Fraud as soon as possible by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

Spoof HMRC phone calls

There have been increased reports of criminals spoofing genuine HMRC telephone numbers to deceive consumers over the phone. The criminals state that because of the victim’s non-payment of tax or other duty, they are liable for prosecution or other legal proceedings. People are told that they can avoid this by arranging payment to be made immediately by methods such as bank transfer or by purchasing gift cards. 

If the potential victim is hesitant or refuses to comply, the suspect makes a threat such as immediate arrest, sending bailiffs to the their address or, in some cases, deportation. 

Often, the period for which the tax is allegedly due is distant enough to guarantee the victim will have little, if any, paperwork, or ability to verify the claims. Once the money is paid the suspects sever all contact with the victim. 

Act

Always question unsolicited requests for your personal or financial information. Just because someone knows your basic details (such as your name and contact details), it doesn’t mean they are genuine. Instead, contact the company directly using trusted methods such as a known email address or phone number. 

Legitimate organisations wouldn’t ask you to pay taxes, bills or fees using a gift card, or any other type of voucher. If you’re contacted by anyone that asks you to do this, you’re the target of a scam. 

Don’t be rushed or pressured into deciding. Under no circumstances would a genuine bank or some other trusted organisation force you to make a financial transaction on the spot. 

Report phishing scam attempts. If you receive a call, text or email of this nature and have not lost money, you can report this as phishing to Action Fraud.

HMCTS telephone numbers used by tax scammers

An increasing number of concerned individuals are contacting offices across HMCTS following emails or phone calls by scammers.

Scammers mimic legitimate phone numbers (spoofing) and may allege that you owe HMRC money and that a warrant for your arrest has been issued. Scammers may also tell you to look up contact details for HMCTS courts and offices to verify the number they are using to call.

These calls include:

• previous mistakes in tax returns
• National Insurance numbers being used fraudulently

HMCTS is separate from HMRC and is not involved with tax payments and will not contact you about tax matters. HMRC does not use any HMCTS phone numbers.

We will not call or email you about a tax matter.

If you receive a call or email, or any type of contact, do not provide any personal details or make a payment.

Check HMRC’s scams checklist, find out how to report tax scams and get information on how to recognise genuine HMRC contacts.

If you are suspicious about a call or text, follow the checklist and contact HMRC.

If you have paid money, report the matter to Action Fraud.