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VodafoneThree blocks 2 million dodgy bank texts. VodafoneThree has worked up a new solution designed to address banking scams, as fraudulent communications become increasingly sophisticated. July 6, 2026 The UK telco partnered with Barclays bank, the Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF), and the Cyber Defence Alliance to develop a proof-of-concept (PoC) that adds new, bespoke rules to its existing SMS firewall. So far the results have been encouraging - the PoC is better at differentiating between fraudulent and legitimate SMS content from banks to their customers, leading to the successful interception of 2 million fraudulent messages and counting. In fact, it is going well enough that Voda has since extended the PoC to include the Co-operative Bank and TSB. Voda said the solution builds on its existing fraud prevention activities, which blocked more than 139 million scam messages in 2025 alone. "Preventing fraud on our network and protecting trust in the UK's digital economy is a huge priority," said Rachel Andrews, director of corporate security and fraud, VodafoneThree. "With fraud now accounting for 44% of all crime, no single organisation can tackle it alone. We're working closely with banks, government, law enforcement, and industry partners to stay ahead, evolving our capabilities as quickly as fraudsters change their tactics." "What's clear is that we need to innovate as well, scaling new solutions like this is crucial in making the UK one of the toughest places in the world for fraudsters to operate." In addition to getting to grips with SMS fraud, Voda also recently partnered with spam call protection specialist Hiya, which led to the launch of Scam Call Protection - a network-level feature that analyses incoming calls to automatically detect and flag suspicious-looking numbers. Of course, it's not just Voda that's fighting the good fight. EE in April upgraded its Scam Guard service with a whole host of new features: AI Triple-Lock Protection; Scam Assistant; Mobile Device Security; and Dark Web Monitoring. Among other things, they monitor for potentially fraudulent emails and texts, and operates as a fraud-reporting service that allows users to upload screenshots of suspicious-looking messages, Websites, QR codes and so-on. Like Voda, EE also offers a network-level call-labelling system. Meanwhile, Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) in March launched Call Defence. Also underpinned by Hiya's tech, it is similar to Voda's and EE's offerings in that it can also identify and label potentially unscrupulous callers. It claims to have labelled more than 1 billion such calls. Unlike call-screening features, which still allow untrustworthy calls to be placed to potential victims albeit with a label attached, Voda's new PoC is designed to prevent fraudulent text messages from getting through to customers altogether. For obvious reasons, banks are particularly susceptible to being impersonated by scammers - in the UK alone, banks lose around £1.17 billion to fraud every year. "Banks sit at the frontline of the UK's fight against fraud, and their role has never been more critical. Together, we're leading the way by stepping up our work with banks to strengthen protections and accelerate new solutions," said Nick Gliddon, business director at VodafoneThree. "And we're challenging partners across the sector to match that ambition by working with us to raise the bar and better protect customers at scale." Fraud is still on the rise. According to fraud prevention service Cifas earlier this year, cases reached 444,000 in 2025 - a record high. While this concerted effort by the mobile industry to clamp down on scams is to be applauded, we'll have to wait and see whether it has a meaningful impact on the scale of the problem. Freelance writer Nick is a freelancer who has covered the global telecoms industry for more than 15 years. Areas of expertise include operator strategies; M&As; and emerging technologies, among others. As a freelancer, Nick has contributed news and features for many well-known industry publications. Before that, he wrote daily news and regular features as deputy editor of Total Telecom. He has a first-class honours degree in journalism from the University of Westminster. Want more Telecoms.com stories in your Google search results? Join 56,000+ members. Yes it's completely free.

DNA, a leading Finnish telecommunications company and part of the Telenor Group, has launched network-level call protection powered by Hiya Protect for consumer and business subscribers. The service, branded as DNA Numerovahti, identifies and labels suspicious calls in real time without requiring app downloads. DNA Numerovahti is available through DNA's Huoleton Plus tier for consumers and Business Varma subscriptions for enterprises. According to Hiya's 2026 State of the Call report, 62% of respondents across six countries said phone spam has worsened in the past year, with one in three receiving deepfake voice calls in the last twelve months. Hiya Protect analyses incoming calls at network level using synchronous API technology, labelling threats directly on subscribers' devices with warnings such as "Suspected Spam" or "Potential Fraud".

Hiya and DNA Finland launch network-level call protection for consumers and businesses. Seamlessly integrated into DNA Huoleton Plus and DNA Business Varma, the new DNA Numerovahti service automatically protects subscribers against scams with zero downloads required. SEATTLE, June 2, 2026 - Hiya, the global leader in AI-powered voice protection and identity, announced that DNA, one of the leading telecommunications companies in Finland and part of the Telenor Group, has launched Hiya Protect for both consumer and business subscribers. The service, branded locally as DNA Numerovahti, will identify and label suspicious incoming calls in real time, providing protection against spam and fraud without requiring any app download. DNA Numerovahti, which translates loosely to "number guardian" in Finnish, is available to consumer subscribers through DNA's new DNA Huoleton Plus tier, where it is bundled alongside safe browsing protection. For enterprise customers, DNA Numerovahti is included in the DNA Business Varma subscriptions. Phone fraud continues to escalate across Europe. According to Hiya's 2026 State of the Call report, based on a survey of more than 12,000 consumers across six countries, 62% of respondents said phone spam has gotten worse in the past year. One in three consumers reported receiving a deepfake voice call in the last twelve months. Not surprisingly, nearly four in ten have considered switching carriers because their provider has not done enough to stop spam and fraud. "Answering calls should be safe for our customers. An increasing number of people no longer feel comfortable answering calls from unknown numbers at all, which increases the risk of missing important calls as well. With the rise of various scams, this concern is well justified. At DNA, we want to do everything we can to ensure that our customers can answer calls safely and not fall victim to fraud. It is also good to note that spam and fraud calls are not just a consumer problem. They cost businesses real money in missed connections and eroded trust. DNA Numerovahti protects our subscribers on both sides of that equation." -Mari Eklund, Vice President, Communication Solutions, DNA Hiya Protect analyzes incoming calls at the network level using a synchronous API that combines network signaling data with crowd-sourced intelligence. Calls are labeled with clear, localized warnings such as "Suspected Spam" or "Potential Fraud" directly on the subscriber's device. Because the protection is built into the network, every eligible subscriber is covered automatically. No app is needed, no setup is required, and subscribers can opt out at any time. The DNA deployment is notable for its dual consumer and enterprise approach. While many operators deploy call protection for consumer subscribers first, DNA is making DNA Numerovahti available to business customers simultaneously. DNA Business Varma subscriptions receive protection at no additional cost, while other enterprise subscribers can add the service for a small monthly fee. "What DNA is doing here is what every Mobile Network Operator should be doing. They are not just protecting consumers, but they are also protecting businesses too. This is being implemented from the network up, not with another app nobody wants to download." -Alex Algard, CEO of Hiya The service also helps legitimate businesses reach their customers. Verified callers are less likely to be flagged, which improves answer rates and strengthens trust in voice as a business communication channel. The DNA deployment marks the latest in a series of major European carrier launches for Hiya, following deployments with Telenor Norway, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and O2 Telefónica. About Hiya Hiya is a global leader in AI-powered voice protection and identity, providing caller identity, branded calling, and call protection solutions at network scale. Hiya's technology is deployed across more than 40 countries with nearly 15+ mobile operators and OEMs worldwide, protecting and serving over 550 million users. Founded in Seattle by Alex Algard, Hiya's mission is to make phone calls clear, safe, and worth answering again. Learn more at hiya.com. DNA is one of the leading telecommunications companies in Finland, offering connections, services, and devices for communication and entertainment. DNA is part of the Telenor Group and provides mobile, broadband, and TV services to consumers and businesses across Finland. For more information, visit https://www.dna.fi/. Date. June 2, 2026 Contacts. DNA Corporate Communications, tel. +358 44 044 8000, [email protected]