Almost 45 million people have been on the receiving end of potential scam texts or calls in the last three months and cross-industry collaboration is needed to reduce these numbers, according to Katia Gonzalez, Head of Fraud Prevention and Security at BICS.
“It is clear from Ofcom’s findings that a fundamental rethink in approach is required. We need to do more to stop the scammers at source.
“This means greater collaboration across the entire communications ecosystem. Telecoms firms, governments and regulators need to work together, with an open, proactive approach to sharing resources and information on the latest vulnerabilities."
Ofcom’s research revealed that Text scams most common, with three quarters of 16-34-year-olds targeted. Suspicious calls continue to be a threat for landline users, particularly with older people. Three in five people aged 75 and over reported receiving a potential scam call to their landline.