The British government is planning to ban the supply and possession of SIM farms to combat mobile phone fraud. The ban will be enforced six months after the Crime and Policing Bill receives Royal Assent. Running or supplying SIM farms will result in an unlimited fine in England and Wales, and a £5,000 fine in Scotland and Northern Ireland. This move is considered a first in Europe, addressing a growing issue of mobile fraud.
SIM farms, which hold multiple SIM cards, allow cybercriminals to easily run large-scale fraud operations such as smishing campaigns. Fraud has increased by 19% in the past year, now making up more than 40% of all reported crimes in England and Wales. Rachel Andrews, head of corporate security at Vodafone UK, noted that Vodafone blocked millions of suspected scam messages in 2024 and 2025. UK telecom operators have blocked over one billion suspected scam messages since 2023.
The British government believes the ban will provide much-needed clarity for law enforcement and industry partners to protect the public. Fraud minister Lord Hanson emphasized the devastating impact of fraud on people’s lives and expressed his determination to take decisive action. Two-thirds of British adults have received suspicious messages, and cracking down on SIM farms is seen as essential to safeguard citizens from fraudsters.
Experts in the industry support the ban, with Matt Stanton, global VP at BioCatch, calling the move a “crucial step forward.” Stanton pointed out that SIM farms are not just shady, but industrial-scale crime machines that enable fraudsters to steal millions. He urged other European countries to follow the UK’s lead in tackling fraud before it spreads further across the continent.
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