Sunak Cracks Down on Fraudsters: New Blitz to Smash Scams
Fraud now makes up more than 40% of UK crime, costing us a staggering £7 billion every year. Worse still, the cash lines the pockets of organised crime gangs and fuels terror networks. With tech making scams easier and policing tougher, Rishi Sunak is ready to fight back.
Today, the Prime Minister unveils a no-nonsense plan to beat the scammers at their own game.
Stopping Scams Before They Hit Your Phone
Scammers bombard Britons with fake calls, texts, emails and WhatsApp messages – flooding our devices with lies. Sunak’s team has a clear strategy:
- Ban “SIM farms” – devices criminals use to send thousands of scam texts at once.
- Partner with Ofcom to stomp out ‘number spoofing’ where scammers pretend to be trusted firms like banks.
- Stop cold calls selling dodgy financial products like crypto schemes and bogus insurance.
Bringing Fraudsters to Justice – Harder and Faster
The government is cracking down on the crooks behind the scams:
- Set up a new National Fraud Squad, led by the National Crime Agency and City of London Police" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">City of London Police, backed by 400 extra officers.
- Boost international cooperation and use intelligence networks to track and stop scammers abroad.
Helping You Protect Yourself and Your Cash
Victims often feel ashamed or panicked — but help is coming:
- A £30 million investment in a cutting-edge fraud reporting centre launching next year.
- Partnerships with tech giants to make reporting scams online quick and easy, no matter the social media platform.
- Giving banks longer to process payments, so suspicious transactions can be halted before it’s too late.
Sunak warns: “The time has come to put the fraudsters out of business. We’re determined to protect you and your loved ones from these ruthless predators.”
