Comms Alliance welcomes new laws to combat scams

13 February 2025: Communications Alliance, the peak body of the telecommunications industry, has welcomed the passage of new laws which will help protect Australians from harmful scams.

The Scams Prevention Framework legislation will require telcos, banks, and digital platforms to adhere to regulated and enforceable industry codes, and to share intelligence in a cross-sector effort to combat scams. The legislation also establishes avenues for compensation for scam victims.

“The telecoms industry has been taking action against scammers for years, proactively establishing an enforceable industry code in 2020 – we welcome this legislation which will now also require banks and digital platforms to have similar regulatory requirements,” Comms Alliance CEO Luke Coleman said.

“The Comms Alliance scams code has resulted in more than 2 billion scam calls and almost 700 million scam messages being blocked since it was introduced in 2020. New codes for banks and digital platforms will better enable telcos to work collaboratively across these sectors to drive down scams even further.”

Comms Alliance also welcomed the inclusion of an amendment to the legislation which will provide greater certainty for telcos. The amendment clarified that compliance with an industry code will be given “primary consideration” in determining whether a provider has taken reasonable steps to prevent scams under the broader Scams Prevention Framework, reducing the risk of a ‘double jeopardy’ which could see a provider comply with an industry code but still be found to be in breach of the broader framework.

“The telecoms industry is already taking action beyond this legislation to reduce scams. Telcos are working with the Australian Communications and Media Authority to establish a mandatory SMS Sender ID Register, which will prevent scammers from posing as government agencies, toll road operators, or any other business not listed on the register; as well as implementing additional technical measures to reduce scam traffic on Australian networks,” Mr Coleman said.

“There are positive signs that actions by Government and industry are starting to turn the tide against scammers. There's been a 41% decrease in losses reported to Scamwatch over the past year, and a 32% decrease in the number of people reporting a financial loss according to the National Anti-Scam Centre.”

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