Ofcom Introduces New Rules to Block Scam Texts as UK Fraud Losses Reach £1.28 Billion

LONDON — UK communications regulator Ofcom has finalised new rules intended to prevent criminals from exploiting mobile networks and business-messaging services to send fraudulent text messages.

The measures will require mobile operators and companies that transmit business messages to take stronger action against scam numbers, malicious links, fake sender names and suspicious messaging activity. Ofcom says the rules are designed to block criminal operations at an earlier stage rather than relying solely on consumers to identify fraud after receiving a message.

Fraud accounted for an estimated 45 per cent of all reported crime incidents in England and Wales, while £1.28 billion was lost to criminals in 2025. Ofcom also reported that four in ten UK mobile users surveyed in 2026 had received at least one suspicious mobile message during the preceding three months.

Scam texts often impersonate banks, delivery companies, government departments or family members. Victims may be pressured into clicking fraudulent links, transferring money or revealing passwords and financial information.

Under the new framework, mobile providers must collect and use information from customers and anti-fraud organisations concerning suspicious messages, malicious web links and telephone numbers. Providers will be expected to block numbers used by scammers and identify fraudulent messages as they travel through their networks.

Pay-as-you-go SIM cards will also be subject to messaging-volume limits. Ofcom believes the restriction will make it more difficult for criminals to use individual SIM cards or large collections of SIMs to send fraudulent messages to thousands of people within a short period.

Business-messaging providers will be required to conduct stronger “Know Your Customer” and “Know Your Traffic” checks. These checks are intended to verify the identity and activities of companies sending large volumes of messages and to identify suspicious behaviour before it reaches consumers.

Providers must also verify sender names displayed on business messages. A criminal should not, for example, be able to present a fraudulent message as though it came from a recognised delivery company, financial institution or government agency without undergoing appropriate checks.

Ofcom has also strengthened its guidance on international calls that imitate UK mobile numbers. Telecoms providers are being advised to withhold caller identification when a call appears to originate from a UK mobile number roaming overseas but its authenticity cannot be confirmed. This is intended to reduce “spoofing”, where criminals disguise the true origin of a call to make it appear more trustworthy.

Although mobile operators already block hundreds of millions of suspicious messages, Ofcom says significant gaps remain. Industry estimates cited by the regulator indicate that more than 600 million fraudulent or suspicious messages are blocked annually, but many scams still reach consumers.

Members of the public who receive a suspicious text should avoid replying, clicking links or disclosing personal or financial information. Suspicious mobile numbers and messages can be reported free of charge by forwarding them to 7726, allowing the recipient’s mobile provider to investigate.

The new measures place greater responsibility on the companies carrying mobile messages, but consumers are still being encouraged to pause before acting on unexpected requests for payment, account information or urgent financial assistance.