Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp has joined Stop Scams UK, an industry-led group of businesses working together in an effort to stop the spread of scams, it has been announced.
The tech firm joins the likes of BT, Google, Microsoft and a number of the banking giants, including Barclays and HSBC, as a member of the organisation.
Stop Scams UK said the addition of Meta was a “watershed moment” in its work to “stop scams at source”, noting that most fraud involves criminals posing as members of the banking, tech and telecoms sectors in order to scam their victims.
This is a watershed moment for us and will bring new reach and capability in our work to stop scams at source
Ruth Evans
The group uses collaboration between its members to try to find solutions to scams and fraud spreading on their platforms or by impersonating their business.
It said scams were currently growing at an alarming rate, with incidents where victims were manipulated into making payments to criminals in real time up 60% in the first six months of 2021 compared with the previous year.
Ruth Evans, chair of Stop Scams UK, said: “I am delighted to welcome Meta as the newest member of Stop Scams UK. This is a watershed moment for us and will bring new reach and capability in our work to stop scams at source.
“The growth in our tech sector membership has been a gamechanger, enhancing our ability to help our members stop scams at source and limiting the harm to…
