Australian telcos have blocked more than 55 million scam calls to Australian phone numbers since a new industry code was introduced by the Morrison Government in December 2020.
The Reducing Scam Calls Code is a key measure under the Government's Combatting Scams Action Plan. The Code was developed by the telco industry and registered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and sets out the processes for telcos to identify, trace and block scam calls.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said that the figures show the code is working.
"In 2020, Australians lost $48 million to scam calls. The Morrison Government is serious about tackling scams and it is pleasing to see that more than 55 million scam calls have been blocked as a result of the Reducing Scam Calls Code," Minister Fletcher said.
Telcos face penalties of up to $250,000 for breaching directions to comply with the code. Consumers should report suspected phone-scams to Scamwatch.
