Australia and the United Kingdom will work together more closely to combat unsolicited calls and texts and phone scams under a new agreement.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in London this week that will see them share intelligence, assist each other in appropriate investigations and coordinate enforcement against cross-border entities.
Research conducted by the ACMA in 2021 found that 98 per cent of Australians received some form of unsolicited communication, and around eight in ten are negatively impacted.
ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said the agreement builds on the already strong strategic and working relationship between the ACMA and ICO in the regulation of unsolicited communications.
“Unwanted calls, texts, and scams are international problems and cross border collaboration is an important part of the solution,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
“This agreement will see us working with our UK counterparts to crack down on unlawful calls and messages, particularly when cross border issues are involved.”
UK Information Commissioner John Edwards said “I’m pleased the MoU reaffirms our collaborative efforts to protect people against the misuse of their personal data for unlawful electronic marketing practices. The ICO and the ACMA face common challenges in stopping companies from plaguing people’s lives with unlawful calls and text messages, and this MoU will help us remain effective in our mission.”
If you think you’ve been scammed, contact your bank and phone company immediately and report it to Scamwatch.
Contact IDCARE if you’ve had personal details stolen.
For information on how to spot and stop phone scams, visit acma.gov.au/scams.
MR 06/2023