Telecommunications operators have blocked 135 million calls and more than 5 million text messages since last March, according to July information from the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Civil Service. These figures are included in the application of the Government’s Anti-Estafas Plan, the first measures of which came into force on March 7, 2025 through a ministerial decree that obliges operators to intercept communications with fraudulent intentions. Over time since the order took effect, the number of blockages has increased significantly.
The progress is notable: while in a first measurement (from March 7 to July 31) around 48 million calls were blocked, in the following period (between August and November) this figure increased to 87,013,921 calls, which represents an increase of 81%. As for SMS, more than 2 million messages were blocked until August, a figure which rose to 3,006,148 between August and November, representing more than 35% of intercepted communications. The Minister of Digital Transformation and Public Functions, Óscar López, assured that the anti-Estafas plan “worked” effectively.
Despite the good results, the plan envisages an additional large-scale measure to be implemented in 2026 due to its technical complexity, aiming to have a substantial impact on fraudulent SMS messages. This measure consists of the creation of an official database with alphanumeric codes that companies and public administrations use to identify themselves in SMS messages. The Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) will manage this database, ensuring the authenticity of communications and protecting legitimate entities against identity supplantation, a common practice in fraud attempts.
Regarding the measures in force, since March 7, operators have been forced to block unallocated numbers (such as those starting with 3 or 4), and since June 7, calls and SMS of international origin simulating a Spanish number have also been intercepted (identity theft). Additionally, it is prohibited to renew the license for sales calls and customer service from mobile phone numbers to prevent fraudsters from hiding in unidentified national numbers. From now on, these calls must use geographic numbers or numbers specific to commercial communications (including 800 and 900 numbers). Going forward, a measure incorporated into the Customer Service Act will establish a new specific digital tier for customer acquisition sales calls, which will come into effect in approximately six months.
Ortuzar record
On the other hand, Óscar López spoke last July of the criticisms made by the Popular Party (PP) regarding the recent record of the former president of the PNV, Andoni Ortuzar, as advisor to Movistar Plus+. Despite the fact that the State has a 10% stake in Telefónica, the minister rejected the PP’s objections, limiting himself to emphasizing that this is a “completely normal” reaction from this party. “Telefónica is a private company that participates in the Government, by hypothesis, and that it does not like something from the Popular Party is completely normal,” said López consulted on this subject during a press release following the celebration of the International Advisory Council of Artificial Intelligence.
In this context, López announced the publication of accompanying guidelines for compliance with the European Regulation on Artificial Intelligence (RIA) for high-risk AI systems. The publications, available on the website of the Spanish Agency for the Supervision of Artificial Intelligence (AESIA), are aimed at Spanish companies dedicated to the development of this technology.
To carry out this work, the team led by Óscar López created a testing environment last April in which the Secretary of State for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence, through the General Directorate of Artificial Intelligence, provided a high-level public training and consultation service. This assistance was addressed to the faculty of high-risk AI systems selected to be part of the project and operating in the sectors of access to essential public or private services, biometrics, employment, critical infrastructure, machines and sanitary products for in vitro diagnostics.
About The Author
