Wed, 29 Oct 2025

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 Watchdog proposes new rules to increase blocking of scam texts

The plans involve blocking hundreds of millions more scams from reaching potential victims and locking scammers out of networks.

* Phone networks will be required to block scam texts from reaching potential victims
* Measures aim to address current gaps in protection for consumers and businesses
* Scammers will be locked out by mobile networks
* Proposal includes: + Tackling business messaging scams: forcing phone providers to identify suspicious messages sent by scammers pretending to be a business (e.g. delivery services) + Tackling person-to-person messaging scams: forcing phone providers to identify suspicious messages sent by scammers pretending to be an individual, often in an emergency situation
* Public can continue to report scam texts to 7726, which will help mobile providers monitor and block these messages
  >>