Mobile Phones: Fraud

DSIT, as the lead government department for telecoms, is responsible for developing policies to help ensure the security of the UK’s public telecoms networks and services.

The Telecommunications Security Code of Practice provides technical guidance for public telecoms providers on how they can comply with network security requirements placed upon them through the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 and the Electronic Communications (Security Measures) Regulations 2022.

It is important the guidance within the Code of Practice keeps pace with the scale of the threat to UK telecoms networks and services, which is why we are updating the Code of Practice to take account of evolving threats to network security and new innovations in telecoms technology.

The Home Office is the lead Government Department for tackling fraud and published the UK Fraud Strategy in 2026, which sets out a comprehensive plan to reduce fraud and strengthen the response.

The Government does not hold a single centrally verified estimate of SIM‑swap fraud incidents in the UK, nor a breakdown involving eSIM technology. Data is drawn from a range of sources, including Action Fraud and industry, and is not collated into a single official number.

The Home Office works closely with law enforcement, Ofcom and industry partners to monitor emerging fraud threats. Available data indicates SIM‑swap fraud is a growing issue, with reported cases increasing in recent years.

Through the Fraud Strategy, the Government has committed to improving data‑sharing with industry and strengthening the response to evolving threats, including those affecting the telecommunications sector.