At last, phone firms ordered to block ‘spoof’ numbers

PHONE companies will be f orced to block ‘spoof’ numbers used by scammers to pose as trusted brands, under new Ofcom rules.

Almost 41 million Bri tons r eceived a suspicious call or text in the past thr ee months. The ne w rules , expected to protect millions of people, will come into force in May 2023.

It marks the la test in a string of ne w measures to make i t harder for criminal gangs to make contact with victims.

Scammers are increasingly posing as legitimate organisations, such as banks or government departments, by ‘ spoofing’ phone numbers.

This technique allows them to hide or change their caller ID to disguise their

identity. If a phone number appears trustworthy, victims are more likely to answer and follow the scammer’s instructions.

Ofcom estima tes ar ound 7 00,000 people had done so in the three months to August alone.

Phone providers will also be r equired to make sure that numbers meet the UK’s ten

or 11-digit format and iden tify and block calls from abroad spoofing a UK caller ID . They will also have to block numbers that are on Ofcom’s ‘do not originate’ list, which includes those that banks and government departments never use for outbound calls.

Some companies have already voluntarily implemented these measures, including TalkTalk, which said i t had seen a

65 pc reduction in complaints about scam calls since taking action.