The UK Government is set to introduce a groundbreaking ban on so-called “sim farms” — devices used by scammers to send thousands of fraudulent text messages simultaneously. The measure will form part of the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill, and marks the first prohibition of its kind in Europe.
Sim farm devices, which are capable of housing multiple sim cards, are widely used by fraudsters to distribute scam messages at scale, and have also been linked to the mass creation of fake, verified accounts on social media and other platforms.
Under the new law, possessing or supplying sim farms without a legitimate reason will become illegal, with unlimited fines in England and Wales, and penalties of up to £5,000 in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The ban comes in response to a 19% year-on-year rise in fraud, which now constitutes over 40% of all reported crime in England and Wales, according to data cited by the Home Office.
Fraud Minister Lord Hanson hailed the move as a “vital step” in the country’s fight against the scourge of digital fraud.
“Fraud devastates lives, and I am determined to take the decisive action necessary to protect the public from these shameful criminals,” he said.
“Two-thirds of British adults say they’ve received a suspicious message on their phone – equivalent to more than 35 million people. This ban is a leap forward and provides law enforcement and industry with the clarity needed to tackle this crime head-on.”
The devices, which may resemble standard hardware but serve as a platform for mass communication abuse, enable fraudsters to bombard victims with phishing messages, fake delivery updates, and impersonation scams.
Nick Sharp, deputy director for fraud at the National Crime Agency (NCA), echoed the sentiment, describing sim farms as a “facilitator of fraud at scale”.
“These devices allow criminals to contact large numbers of victims with shocking ease.
The ban announced today is very welcome. It gives us a vital tool to step up our fight against fraudsters, dismantle the services they rely on, and shield the public from harm.”
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The legislation will come into force six months after the Crime and Policing Bill receives Royal Assent, giving law enforcement and industry partners time to prepare for its enforcement.
The telecoms industry has already been working to combat scam messages, with Vodafone UK’s Rachel Andrews confirming that more than 73.5 million suspected scam texts were blocked in 2024 alone, and over 38.5 million so far this year.
“Vodafone UK is committed to protecting our customers from fraud,” said Andrews.
“Sim farms are a significant enabler of scam activity, and this ban is an important step forward. While the telecoms industry has blocked over a billion scam messages since 2023, real progress requires partnership. We fully support the Government’s action and look forward to continuing this collaboration.”
The move has received cross-party support, though not without some political sparring. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp praised the announcement but argued that Labour were simply building on groundwork laid by the previous Conservative government.
“We welcome this move, but let’s not pretend Labour led the charge,” he said.
“These devices are the weapon of choice for fraudsters. Enforcement is now key — criminals will always find new ways to exploit the system. Ministers must ensure this legislation is watertight, or it risks being a ban in name only.”
As scammers increasingly turn to advanced technology to commit fraud, this new legislation represents a bold step in adapting legal tools to the modern threats posed by digital crime.
