The STAT brings together representatives from key government agencies, telcos, law enforcement and other sectors to work collaboratively to combat phone scams – primarily calls, SMS and phone fraud. It also informs the ACMA’s scam reduction activities and associated regulatory responses.
Terms of reference
Background
The Scam Telecommunications Action Taskforce (STAT) was established by the ACMA in November 2019 to provide coordination and oversight of telco scam reduction activities across government and industry sectors.
Purpose
The STAT brings together representatives from key government agencies, telcos, law enforcement and other sectors to work collaboratively to combat phone scams (primarily calls and SMS) and to inform the ACMA’s scam reduction activities and associated regulatory responses.
Responsibilities
The STAT oversees and coordinates actions to disrupt scams from reaching Australians via telco networks, by:
- actively monitoring the phone scam (call, SMS and phone fraud) threat environment
- discussing impacts and successes of initiatives/interventions to combat phone scams, for example, the SMS sender ID registry
- exploring technological phone scam reduction developments and provider-level and international initiatives for potential broader implementation in Australia
- providing information to help inform the ACMA’s regulatory and enforcement activities related to phone scams, including development of new rules and assessment and enforcement of current rules
- complementing and supporting the work of the National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC).
Membership
The following entities are members of the STAT (represented by senior officers):
- ACMA (Chair and secretariat support)
- Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission
- Communications Alliance Ltd.
- Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
Other entities have observer status to provide expertise on specific matters, including:
- carriers and carriage service providers
- Australian Federal Police and state police agencies
- Australian Taxation Office
- Department of Home Affairs
- Services Australia
- financial services sector (Australian Banking Association, Customer Owned Banking Association, and the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange).
STAT observers should be senior representatives from their organisations.
The ACMA may invite other guest attendees as relevant. STAT members and guests are welcome to suggest potential presenters or observers.
Meetings
The STAT will generally meet twice a year and out-of-session as required. The STAT may hold more meetings or convene broader stakeholder forums or working groups as required.
Out of scope
The STAT is not a voting or decision-making body. The STAT is generally limited to considering matters relevant to scam activity on telco networks. It does not impose legal obligations on any entity apart from those that may already exist in relation to each member’s powers and functions, or role, or that otherwise exist in statute, for example, the Privacy Act 1988.
The STAT will refer matters more appropriately dealt with by the NASC to the ACCC, for example, proposals to disrupt scams that involve pricing or competition matters.
Confidentiality
The STAT will discuss and deal with matters of a sensitive nature. Any material provided by or presented to the STAT should be viewed as confidential. Permission must be obtained by the Chair or respective owners of the content prior to sharing material beyond the membership.
Members undertake not to knowingly disclose confidential or official information or documents acquired because of membership, other than where required by law and/or where proper authority to do so has been granted.
If an unauthorised disclosure of information provided at or concerning the STAT occurs, then the party who becomes aware of the disclosure will take steps to notify those impacted as soon as possible to the extent permitted by law.
Terms of reference
The ACMA will, generally once within each 18-month period, review these terms of reference as required to make sure they remain fit for purpose. These reviews will also consider whether the STAT membership remains appropriate. The ACMA will consult with STAT members when undertaking these reviews.
Reporting
STAT outcomes and actions, including measures of success, will be regularly reported to the Minister for Communications and incorporated into the ACMA’s annual report. The ACMA will consult with STAT members and observers before disclosing any information of a personal or commercially sensitive nature.
More information
For further information, please email scamreduction@acma.gov.au.