The parties held a briefing for stakeholders on updates to the Telecom Fraud Charter, its progress and ongoing efforts
The Mobile Ecosystem Forum and the UK’s Home Office jointly hosted a session for stakeholders about updates to the Telecom Fraud Charter regarding the Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS messaging sector.
A report co-authored by Enea and Mobilesquared, published in February 2024, found that artificial inflation of traffic (AIT) is pervasive in the messaging ecosystem. The study stressed the substantial financial toll of AIT, with brands incurring costs of $1.16 billion (€1.16 billion) due to fraudulent messages. It also puts a strain on the messaging ecosystem, accounting for 4.8% of all Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS traffic.
Between 19.8 billion and 35.7 billion fraudulent messages were sent globally in 2023, according to the report.
Ongoing initiatives
Assembled representatives from across the UK’s messaging ecosystem heard directly from the Home Office on its ongoing anti-fraud initiatives and a review of progress since the Charter’s launch. They were also invited to engage and help shape future work.
The panel comprised Daniel Ager, Head of Telecommunications Fraud Prevention Policy – Home Office, and Dario Betti, CEO of the Mobile Ecosystem Forum (pictured), who discussed their close collaboration which is designed to strengthen cross-industry cooperation to combat telecoms fraud.
The Home Office is included in the Code of Conduct Dispute Committee, which adjudicates disputes between signatories. The meeting included a review of Code of Conduct violations by the Home Office and the possibility of public mention and perhaps a report on violators.
Finalising the Charter
The meeting confirmed that the timeline for finalising the Charter is August or September 2025. In the meantime, the Home Office consulting mobile operators and business messaging companies such as CPaaS providers and aggregators. The Home Office is also working with law enforcement, telecoms regulator Ofcom and the National Cyber Security Centre “to ensure alignment and explore strategies for enforcement”.
The Mobile Ecosystem Forum’s Business SMS Code of Conduct is a self-regulatory framework that establishes standards for all entities involved in A2P. Its aim is to protect consumers, ensure ethical and commercial responsibility, and maximise value across the messaging ecosystem.
The Code addresses message content, timing, data privacy, fraud prevention and compliance. It also outlines the roles and responsibilities of industry players.
