The Government has approved a Ministerial Order establishing measures to combat phishing scams through fraudulent phone calls and text messages. The Order also regulates the numbers from which commercial calls can be made
The goal is to protect users and provide them with tools to avoid these types of scams, which have grown exponentially.
MEASURES
Obligation for operators to block calls and SMS with numbering that has not been attributed, assigned or awarded, including empty numbering, For example, those starting with 4 or 3, not currently attributed to any service in Spain, or numbering not attributed to any operator, and that therefore cannot correspond to real customers.
Obligation for call blocking and SMS operators of international origin who pretend to have originated in a Spanish number, except for those customers who are in roaming. Fraudulent calls usually come from foreign countries, but simulate calls with Spanish numbers to deceive the citizen. (This measure enters into force on June 7, 2025)
Creation of a database with verified names or alphanumeric codes, so that they do not pass themselves off as a bank, company or administration. In SMS sending, an alphanumeric tag is sometimes used as an ID instead of a mobile number. These alphanumeric codes will be, from the entry into force of the measure, registered and verified by the CNMC, as a measure to protect the name of the companies or entities, and to locate any attempt at supplantation more quickly and effectively. (Due to its technical complexity, the measure enters into force 15 months after the entry into force of the Ministerial Order)
Commercial calls:
Commercial calls can be made from numbers specially assigned for this purpose (for example, short numbers such as Telefónica's 1004); from geographical numbering or from 900/800 numbering, which are numbers that until now only calls could be made, but not receive calls from them. (The measure will apply from 7 June).