UK Regulator Tackles Robocalls

The U.K. Office of Communications proposed tighter rules against robocalls and texts. Nearly 45 million people were targeted by spoof calls and texts last summer, and almost a million of them fell for the scammers' instructions, it said Wednesday. Ofcom works with phone companies to help them block calls that imitate the numbers of legitimate organizations such as banks and government offices, but "fraudsters quickly adapt to changing circumstances and technology." The regulator proposed requiring all phone networks involved in transmitting a call to block clearly spoofed numbers, plus new guidance to help companies stop scammers from accessing valid phone numbers: Among other things, they will have to run "know your customer" checks on business customers. Ofcom is also examining how technology can help prevent scam calls at the source. For calls originating in the U.K., for example, the network from which the call is made would have to "authenticate" the caller's ID information before connecting the call, a requirement that "should be achievable" when the country's transition to digital landlines is complete.