Telecoms Fraud Charter: Industry to combat UK's most prevalent crime
The UK telecoms sector has today launched an updated Telecoms Fraud Sector Charter, marking a significant escalation in the industry's fight against fraud – now the country's most common crime according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales.
Led by the Communications Crime Strategy Group (CCSG) and Comms Council UK (CCUK), the Charter brings together major mobile networks including BT EE, Virgin Media O2, Vodafone Three, Sky, and TalkTalk, alongside business-to-business voice and telephony providers.
2025: what’s new
Building on progress since the first Charter in 2021, this updated version introduces several ambitious initiatives. The sector will establish cross-sector workshops within six months to design scalable data-sharing models between telecoms, banking, and tech providers. These workshops, convened with Home Office support, aim to create what the Charter describes as "a seamless, multi-sector data-sharing ecosystem."
How this intersects with concurrent work – and forthcoming strategy – on Smart Data for the sector will be of critical importance.
The telecoms industry is also committing to develop a call tracing process with Ofcom to address scam and fraudulent calls, with operational traceback expected across participating networks within 12 months. This will work alongside the adoption of modern network features such as VoLTE to improve visibility and control.
Securing messaging
With network-originated SMS remaining a trusted channel for businesses and public services, signatories will strengthen sender verification processes and enhance vetting procedures for commercial SMS customers. Notably, the Charter proposes that RCS providers align with existing fraud prevention work on SMS, including intelligence and 7726 data sharing.
Again – the Charter notes that there is a concurrent consultation by Ofcom on combatting scam messages, which opened at the end of October 2025. Interestingly, in that consultation, Ofcom sets out RCS messaging does not currently fall under the Communications Act (like SMS or MMS), and it is for providers to determine how RCS is implemented: either a PECS or user-to-user service under the Online Safety Act.
Furthermore, a dedicated AI Fraud Prevention Working Group will be established to coordinate activity across the sector, mapping current AI tools and developing common principles for ethical deployment whilst safeguarding privacy and consumer trust.
Supporting victims
The Charter sets targets for victim support, committing to resolve the majority of fraud cases within 21 days by November 2026, reducing to 14 days by November 2027. Mobile networks will also align with the government's Stop! Think Fraud campaign, incorporating consistent messaging across customer communications.
Frontline staff training will be strengthened, with agreed best practices for preventing fraud, including measures such as requiring two-factor authentication before account transfers.
Law enforcement collaboration
The sector will share targeted intelligence with law enforcement through the Fraud Targeting Cell, focusing on the "directing minds," key enablers, and ultimate beneficiaries of fraud. Working groups will be established to understand threats from SIM farms, SMS blasters, and bogus pay-as-you-go identities.
For business-to-business providers, CCUK will work with the Network Interoperability Consultative Committee to create a proof-of-concept API enabling trusted sharing of fraud intelligence, whilst broadening participation in the National Trading Standards data-sharing scheme established in January 2025.
As Lord Hanson of Flint, Minister of State at the Home Office, notes in his foreword: "This Charter represents a landmark commitment from the telecoms industry to tackle fraud head-on." With government standing alongside the sector, the ambition is clear: to make the UK a hostile environment for fraudsters and a safer place for everyone.
Combatting Fraud: techUK's 2025 Report
The Charter's ambitions align closely with techUK's Anti-Fraud Report 2025, which will set out how fraud has become a systemic risk to the UK's digital and financial infrastructure, and launches on Thursday 13 November. Both initiatives recognise that tackling fraud requires a whole-system response linking law enforcement, government, regulators, and industry. Where the Charter sets out practical commitments on data sharing, AI deployment, and cross-sector collaboration, techUK's report provides the broader policy framework and evidence base – including case studies from platforms, telecoms, cybersecurity, and digital identity providers – demonstrating how technology is already detecting, blocking, and disrupting scams.
Together, they offer a comprehensive roadmap: the Charter delivers industry action with clear timelines and measurable commitments, whilst techUK's report champions the connected, collaborative anti-fraud ecosystem needed to shift focus from reactive response to addressing vulnerabilities earlier in the attack chain. The synergy between these initiatives underscores a shared recognition that fraud is not just a threat to consumers, but a drag on growth requiring coordinated action across the entire digital economy.
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Meet the team
Sophie Greaves
Associate Director, Digital Infrastructure, techUK
Sophie Greaves is Associate Director for Digital Infrastructure at techUK, overseeing the Communications Infrastructure and Services Programme at techUK, and the UK Spectrum Policy Forum.
Sophie was promoted to Head having been Programme Manager for Communications Infrastructure and Services, leading techUK's telecoms activities, engagement and policy development. Previously, Sophie was Programme Assistant across a variety of areas including the Broadband Stakeholder Group, Central Government, Financial Services and Communications Infrastructure programmes.
Prior to joining techUK, Sophie completed a masters in Film Studies at University College London; her dissertation examined US telecoms policy relating to net neutrality and content distribution.
- Email:
- [email protected]
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- 0207 331 2038
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiegreaves/
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Phil Reid
Head of Telecoms and Spectrum Policy, techUK
Phil is acting Head of Telecoms and Spectrum policy at techUK, where he leads the Communications, Infrastructure and Services Programme. This focuses on promoting the benefits and innovations of connectivity and tackles the barriers of digital infrsatructre rollout.
Phil's background lies in public affairs and policy, supporting numerous organisations to navigate their policy landscape, build their political profile and engage on key issues with impact. His previous roles were predominantly in consultancy but he has also had extensive experience in establishing and manging both trade bodies and campaign groupings; leading their secretariat functions as well as their public affairs and communications activities.
Telecoms has been an ever-constant sector focus during his career, covering an array of issues such as IP-migration, broadband rollout, net neutrality, telecoms fraud, network resilience and security. He has a strong understanding of the sector ecosytem, its major policy issues and has had plenty of interaction with its key stakeholders.
Outside of work, if he's not enjoying family time with his wife and two daughters, he'll be either playing or watching some form of sport.
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- [email protected]
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Tales Gaspar
Programme Manager, UK SPF and Satellite, techUK
Tales has a background in law and economics, with previous experience in the regulation of new technologies and infrastructure.
In the UK and Europe, he offered consultancy on intellectual property rights of cellular and IoT technologies and on the regulatory procedures at the ITU as a Global Fellow at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI).
Tales has an LL.M in Law and Business by the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) and an MSc in Regulation at the London School of Economics, with a specialization in Government and Law.
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- [email protected]
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- +44 (0) 0207 331 2000
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- www.techUK.org
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- www.linkedin.com/in/talesngaspar
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Josh Turpin
Programme Manager, Telecoms and Net Zero, techUK
Josh joined techUK as a Programme Manager for Telecoms and Net Zero in August 2024.
In this role, working jointly across the techUK Telecoms and Climate Programmes, Josh is responsible for leading on telecoms infrastructure deployment and uptake and supporting innovation opportunities, as well as looking at how the tech sector can be further utilised in the UK’s decarbonisation efforts.
Prior to joining techUK, Josh’s background was in public affairs and communications, working for organisations across a diverse portfolio of sectors including defence, telecoms and infrastructure; aiding clients through stakeholder engagement, crisis communications, media outreach as well as secretariat duties.
Outside of work, Josh has a keen interest in music, painting and sailing.
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- [email protected]
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- 020 7331 2038
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- https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-turpin/
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