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Scammers hiding behind fake numbers are set to be unmasked after a landmark fraud deal was announced. Ministers have pledged to eliminate "spoofing" - which means calls from overseas appear to be coming from the UK - within a year. AI will be used to identify fraudsters before they are able to contact would-be victims. The UK's biggest phone companies have reached an agreement with the Government to tackle the problem. Minister for Fraud Lord Hanson said: “Spoofed calls allow scammers to deceive the public with fake identities and false promises. "This government is committed to tackling fraud. In a major upgrade of our mobile network, call spoofing will be eliminated within a year - stripping away the tools scammers use to cheat people out of their hard-earned cash. “We’re stepping up our defences to protect victims and make sure the UK is the hardest place in the world for scammers to operate.” Operators have agreed to share more data with police, while call tracing technology will be rolled out across networks. Signatories to the new Telecoms Charter include BT EE, Virgin Media O2, VodafoneThree, Tesco Mobile, Talk Talk, Sky and Comms Council UK (CCUK). Three quarters of Brits are unlikely to pick up if a call comes from an unknown international number. Brian Webb, who chairs the Communications Crime Strategy Group, said: "The actions that we have committed to will deliver real change - from expanding trusted data sharing and enhancing call security, to using artificial intelligence responsibly, and supporting victims with compassion and speed."
