Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance his Department gives to businesses on providing proof of their identity when they contact customers (a) online and (b) by telephone.

We encourage all businesses to have procedures in place to identify themselves when interacting with customers, whether by phone, online or in person. This is vital for consumer confidence and trust. Organisations including the Federation of Small Business, the British Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of British Industry offer advice to small and medium-sized businesses on best practice when contacting customers.