Watchdog proposes new rules to clamp down on mobile scam messages

New rules have been proposed in a bid to protect people and businesses from mobile messaging scams, regulator Ofcom has announced.

The communications watchdog said it is seeking to introduce new rules after 100 million suspicious messages were reported to mobile providers last year.

Ofcom said numbers have soared despite steps taken by mobile firms to identify and block scam messages.

On Wednesday, the regulator launched a package of measures which could lead to new requirements for mobile providers.

It proposed that firms must set limits on the volume of messages sent from pay-as-you-go sim cards.

It said research found this will make it harder for scammers to message large numbers of potential victims at once.

Mobile operators will also have to block numbers used by scammers. Ofcom is seeking to force providers to use reports from customers and law enforcement bodies to identify scammers and prevent them using these numbers.

It is also calling for operators to disrupt business messaging scams, conduct upfront and ongoing due diligence checks, and prevent the use of fake sender names.

Amy Jordan, Ofcom’s strategy delivery director, said: “Messaging scams can have a devastating impact on their victims.

“Our plans will ensure that mobile firms consistently apply proven measures to thwart these crimes.

“That means locking scammers out of networks and blocking hundreds of millions more scams from getting through to people and businesses each year.”

The regulator said it is seeking views on its proposals by late January, with plans to publish its final decisions next summer.