Press Launch
VodafoneThree is trialling a brand new course of to assist the banking sector block scams
VodafoneThree has helped develop a proof of idea to assist banks sort out fraud and defend their prospects.
Created with Barclays, and in partnership with Cellular Ecosystem Discussion board* and Cyber Defence Alliance, the proof of idea has since expanded to incorporate The Co-operative Financial institution, now a part of the Coventry Constructing Society, and TSB.
Since August 2025, greater than 2 million fraudulent messages have been blocked from reaching collaborating banks’ prospects. This marks an estimated 25% improve in blocked rip-off messages on VodafoneThree’s community.[1]As UK banks lose £1.17 billion a 12 months as a consequence of fraud[2], this course of helps cease fraudulent SMS messages earlier than they attain banking prospects, whereas guaranteeing respectable messages nonetheless get by.
Constructing on the success of VodafoneThree’s present rip-off prevention instruments, which blocked 139+ million fraudulent SMS in 2025 alone, the method sees VodafoneThree working intently with banks to construct bespoke guidelines to the present SMS firewall. This intelligence can differentiate between fraudulent SMS content material and legit communications from banks to their prospects.
Current malicious SMS messages concentrate on impersonating banks and asking prospects to share their private or monetary data urgently by way of rip-off cellphone numbers or phishing hyperlinks included within the messages.
Rachel Andrews, Director of Company Safety and Fraud, VodafoneThree, mentioned: “Stopping fraud on our community and defending belief within the UK’s digital economic system is a big precedence. With fraud now accounting for 44% of all crime[3], no single organisation can sort out it alone. We’re working intently with banks, authorities, regulation enforcement, and business companions to remain forward, evolving our capabilities as rapidly as fraudsters change their techniques. What’s clear is that we have to innovate as nicely, scaling new options like that is essential in making the UK one of many hardest locations on the planet for fraudsters to function.”
Nick Gliddon, Enterprise Director, VodafoneThree, mentioned: “Banks sit on the frontline of the UK’s struggle towards fraud, and their function has by no means been extra important. Collectively, we’re main the way in which by stepping up our work with banks to strengthen protections and speed up new options. And we’re difficult companions throughout the sector to match that ambition by working with us to lift the bar and higher defend prospects at scale.”
Paul Davis, Head of Financial Crime, Barclays, mentioned: “Defending our prospects’ cash and information is our highest precedence. With studies of APP scams originating by way of SMS rising by round 40% in 2025 in contrast with 2024, it’s important that we proceed to work collectively to remain forward of latest threats. By sharing intelligence throughout banks, telecoms suppliers and business our bodies, we can assist cease suspicious messages earlier than they attain prospects, whereas guaranteeing our prospects nonetheless obtain real messages from us. VodafoneThree’s work is a robust instance of how collective motion can assist sort out fraud at supply and higher defend shoppers.”
Garry Lilburn, Operations Director, Cyber Defence Alliance, mentioned: “On the CDA, we search to deliver our banking members, Telecommunication, Regulation Enforcement and Tech companions collectively to drawback remedy on cross-sector issues. This challenge, initiated at such a cross-sector assembly, with MEF, Vodafone Three and Barclays financial institution, is a wonderful instance of cross-sector collaboration. Working with MEF, collectively, we’ll scale this challenge and its success to guard a wider variety of banking and telecom prospects.”
Dario Betti, CEO, Cellular Ecosystem Discussion board, mentioned: “For a few years, MEF has been on the forefront of the struggle towards smishing, repeatedly evolving our technique to maintain tempo with the altering techniques utilized by fraudsters. We’re more than happy to have supported VodafoneThree on this profitable initiative, which exhibits what will be achieved when business companions work collectively in a sensible and focused method to sort out fraud. The outcomes are vital, and we sit up for seeing this method adopted extra broadly throughout the business.”
Chris Grey, CISO, The Co-operative Financial institution, mentioned: “Our prospects’ security is our high precedence. Alongside our Cyber Fraud Fusion Cell – the place we deliver collectively experience to identify and cease scams quick – this initiative helps sort out fraud at supply. By partnering throughout sectors to dam fraudulent messages earlier than they attain prospects, collectively, we’re strengthening on a regular basis banking safety and protecting individuals’s cash secure.”
George Hulland, Fraud Prevention Supervisor, TSB, mentioned: “For too lengthy, UK households have misplaced life-changing sums to merciless fraudsters posing as their financial institution, so this much-needed intervention with Vodafone ought to assist lower scams off at supply. Fraud can solely be tackled with completely different companies coming collectively, and this can be a nice instance of cross-sector collaboration to guard shoppers. Banks won’t ever ask you for private data, or to switch cash to them – so in the event you’re ever requested, dangle up, it’s fraud.”
VodafoneThree urges prospects and members of the general public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious messages or voice calls to our devoted 7726 SPAM reporting hyperlink, both by clicking on the SPAM icon or forwarding to 7726 at no further price. This precious intelligence is then shared with different cellular community suppliers and anti-scam organisations, serving to to guard prospects.
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