Our role
The role of Stop Scams UK in combating scams
In a landscape of many agencies and initiatives fighting back against fraud and scams, we have a unique place and our set up gives us unique strengths.
Our experience so far suggests they are indispensable:
- We represent three sectors
- We are sector-neutral
- We are led by industry through our members
“If Stop Scams UK did not already exist, someone would need to invent us. We were set up to stop the harm and loss caused by scams. We do so by bringing responsible businesses together to stop scams at source.”
Mark Tierney, Chief Executive, Stop Scams
The businesses in our membership recognise that individual efforts will never get to the heart of the problem. They feel a strong sense of shared responsibility and know they have power to break scammers’ business models and put them out of business.
Our members drive the alchemy of Stop Scams UK. Together we set vision and strategies and deliver on commitments. It’s a given that different businesses and sectors have their own goals and motivations, but a key value of Stop Scams UK is that, at our table, firms work together.
This is how we were able to launch 159 and to advertise it.
Collaboration on 159
- Telcos provided a consumer-facing phone service;
- Banks handle the calls;
- Tech sector has given 159 advertising inventory so we can build public awareness.
If every participant had taken only a narrow view of their own returns from 159, it would never have got off the ground – and yet now we believe it will be one of the most powerful tools for helping consumers protect themselves.
Through a unique collaboration, we’re starting to deliver on Stop Scams UK’s ambitions:
- Prevention: We build shared understanding and shared solutions
- Protection: We reduce the harm and loss caused by scams and fraud
- Influence: We press for changes that will make the legal, regulatory, political and technical landscape conducive to the work we need to do.