Online Safety Bill ignoring 'epidemic of scams' faced by the UK, experts warn

Critics warn that failing to address scams in the law will 'leave vulnerable people defenceless' in the midst of a pandemic.

"I plead on bended knee for the government to take that opportunity, by putting scams in the Online Safety Bill. Failing to do so will betray its promise to create world-leading online protection and will leave vulnerable people defenceless against online crime in the midst of a global pandemic.

Action Fraud says Britons lost about £1.7bn to scams over the last 12 months and that, in the year to June 2020, 85% of all fraud was cyber-enabled. Which? chief executive Anabel Hoult said:"The time for self-regulation is over, as clearly it has not worked. The case for including scams in the Online Safety Bill is overwhelming and the government must take the opportunity to act now.

David Postings, chief executive at UK Finance, said:"The banking and finance industry is tackling fraud on all fronts, but we can't do it alone. We need other industries, including the online platforms exploited by criminals, to join the fight and take responsibility for criminal activity that is happening on their doorstep.

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