Overview

• The UK government will implement Europe's first ban on sim farm devices, targeting tools that enable mass scam texts and social media account abuse.
• The legislation, part of the Crime and Policing Bill, introduces unlimited fines in England and Wales and £5,000 fines in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• Fraud has surged by 19% in the past year, now accounting for over 40% of all reported crime in England and Wales.
• Telecom operators have blocked over one billion suspected scam messages since 2023, highlighting the scale of the problem.
• The ban is set to take effect six months after the Crime and Policing Bill receives royal assent, with government and industry collaboration emphasized as key to its success.