UK Bans SIM Farms as Vodafone Blocks 73.5M Scam Texts

The British government will become the first in Europe to ban the supply and possession of SIM farms, signalling a major escalation in the fight against mobile phone-enabled fraud. The new legislation, announced by UK Fraud Minister Lord Hanson, will take effect six months after the Crime and Policing Bill receives Royal Assent.

Offenders found running or supplying SIM farms will face unlimited fines in England and Wales and a US$6671, equivalent to £5,000, penalty in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

SIM farms are devices capable of holding multiple SIM cards, which allow cyber criminals to execute large-scale fraud operations. The acts of deception include SMS campaigns, mass distribution of scam texts, and the creation of fake online accounts. By automating and sending thousands of fraudulent messages, SIM farms dramatically increase the risk to both businesses and consumers.

The scale of the problem: fraud on the rise

Recent UK government data highlights the urgency of the ban. Fraud increased by 19% last year and now accounts for more than 40% of all reported crimes in England and Wales. Lord Hanson states: “Two-thirds of British adults say they’ve received a suspicious message on their phone – equivalent to more than 35 million people – which is why cracking down on SIM farms is vital to protecting the public”.

Rachel Andrews, Head of Corporate Security at Vodafone UK, shared that the company blocked more than 73.5 million suspected scam messages in 2024 and more than 38.5 million in the first months of 2025.

“As an industry, UK telecoms operators have blocked more than one billion suspected scam messages since 2023,” she added. “However, we cannot fully tackle fraud in isolation, collaboration between industry and government is crucial. It is a really important step taken by the Home Office and we fully support the inclusion of SIM farms in the upcoming legislation”.

Industry and law enforcement response

The move has been widely welcomed by both the telecommunications industry and law enforcement agencies. Nick Sharp, Deputy Director for Fraud at the National Crime Agency (NCA), described the ban as “a vital tool to step up our fight against fraudsters, target the services they rely on and better protect the public”.

Matt Stanton, Global VP at BioCatch, highlighted the scale of the threat: “SIM farms aren’t just shady. They’re industrial-scale crime machines. They pump out scam texts, power fake accounts and help fraudsters steal millions in minutes. Fraud is the UK’s most common crime, exploding across Europe. If other countries don’t act fast, they leave the door open for scammers. The UK just raised the bar. Now it’s Europe’s turn to follow”.

Legislative details and enforcement

The new offence will make the possession or supply of SIM farms illegal without a legitimate reason, closing a critical loophole exploited by criminals.

The penalties are severe: unlimited fines in England and Wales and £5,000 fines in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The ban will provide law enforcement and industry partners with much-needed clarity and the legal backing to act decisively against those enabling mass fraud.

Lord Hanson reiterated the government’s commitment: “Fraud devastates lives and I am determined to take the decisive action necessary to protect the public from these shameful criminals. It marks a leap forward in our fight against fraud and will provide law enforcement and industry partners the clarity they need to protect the public from this shameful crime”.

Collaboration and next steps

The government’s approach highlights the importance of collaboration between industry and public authorities. Rachel of Vodafone UK noted, “Collaboration between industry and government is crucial. This is a really important step taken by the Home Office and we fully support the inclusion of SIM farms in the upcoming legislation”.

The ban aims to set a precedent for other European countries, with industry leaders urging rapid adoption of similar measures across the continent to close off avenues for large-scale fraud.

By banning SIM farms, the UK is taking decisive action to protect businesses and consumers from sophisticated, large-scale fraud. The move is widely supported by both industry and law enforcement.

The expectation is that the ban moving forward will serve as a model for anti-fraud strategies across Europe.

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