Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle text scams.

Fraudsters will use any means they can, including through highly deceptive and sophisticated techniques such as text messaging scams, to trick people into handing over their hard-earned money.

This Government is committed to protecting people from all types of fraud and pursuing those who perpetuate these crimes wherever possible. In May, we published a Statement of Progress on the Economic Crime Plan which committed to developing a comprehensive Fraud Action Plan.

The Government has also worked jointly with the telecommunications industry to agree a Telecommunications Fraud Sector Charter. Under the charter, telecommunications providers have committed to identify and implement techniques to block smishing texts.

We continue to encourage the public to forward suspicious text messages to 7726 (which is free of charge) and anyone who has been a targeted by fraud to report it. Action Fraud is the national reporting service for all victims of fraud and cybercrime and can be contacted by phone on 0300 123 2040 or through their website, currently available at: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime.

This information is being used by the City of London Police, the National Cyber Security Centre, and the National Crime Agency to identify, disrupt and stop fraudsters.