EE warns consumers of Super Saturday SMS scams

BT and EE network data from last year has revealed Super Saturday (23 December) as the hotspot for criminal activity. The operator says it blocked 3 million SMS scam attempts on that day, the highest number of the entire year in 2022.

The operator’s network data also shows that 45 million scam texts have already been blocked this year, and EE security experts expect to block another 5 million in December.

The operator has identified the most common SMS scams in December to be delivery related. Super Saturday is considered the busiest day in retail with last-minute shoppers organising and ordering parcels, combined with the holiday rush, this creates the perfect storm for scammers.

Such scams, it says, include “missed delivery or track delivery text scams, which prompt customers to click on links that give criminals the opening they need to steal consumers’ data or money.”

Despite new security technology updates installed earlier in the year, the operator says criminals are still finding new ways to target gaps in security systems.

In September, EE introduced a host of new technology including International SMS blocking, SMS blocking of trusted routes, and Enhanced Call Protection, and AI to reinforce its network defences and prevent scams.

“With deliveries piling up on the doorstep, scammers will be looking for ways to take advantage of the festive frenzy.” said Jonny Bunt, EE’s Director of Regulatory Affairs for Consumer division at BT Group. “As one of the UK’s first lines of defence against SMS scam texts, we have clear sight of the threat level here at BT and EE and are already seeing a concerning spike in delivery scams in particular.”

“It has been a busy year for fraudulent texts, we blocked over 45 million before they reached our customers, but the battle is never won, and some will always make it through. Our investments in AI are helping hugely, but we would be nothing without the vigilance of our customers, which is why we’re encouraging everyone to take a couple of minutes to remind themselves of the signs, and to report suspicious texts for free to 7726.”