The Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo, stated that the fight against fraud must be a key point in terms of financial inclusion, as increasing digitalization carries risks that especially affect the most vulnerable groups. He pointed out that important measures have already been taken in the fight against fraud with the sector and regulatory bodies, but 'fraud is constantly mutating and we must remain very alert'.
According to the minister, the most common fraud involves identity theft via SMS and calls, and he recalled that in February 2025, the Ministry of Digital Transformation approved a ministerial order for telephone operators to block certain calls from fraudulent phone numbers, mobile numbers, and SMS. Between February and August, operators have already blocked over 50 million calls and two million SMS, Cuerpo said, highlighting the importance of the 017 phone number for inquiries and reporting of these frauds and fraud attempts, which receives a thousand calls a day.
The minister also mentioned that tomorrow a vote is scheduled in the Congress on the Customer Service Law, which will grant a specific numbering for commercial calls, so that any phone number outside a set range will be blocked. Cuerpo hopes the law will be approved this Thursday and that throughout 2026, the capacity to block numbers from which fraud attempts are made will be operational.
The minister also highlighted the importance of raising awareness among the most vulnerable groups about the tools available to fight such banking frauds, such as the 017 phone number.
The working group for financial inclusion has agreed to create a brigade to protect citizens from fraud, to be led by the Ministries of Economy and Digital Transformation, and in which financial entities, telecommunications operators, and the Bank of Spain will participate.
Cuerpo explained that when the Authority is created, it will be able to support the refund of defrauded amounts. On the other hand, it was agreed at the meeting to draw up a national map of accessibility to financial services, of which the minister said they hope to have good news at the next working group meeting in June.
Following Wednesday's meeting, the president of the Spanish Banking Association (AEB), Alejandra Kindelán, welcomed the creation of the anti-fraud brigade, to which she believes the Data Protection Agency (APD), the National Cybersecurity Institute (Incibe), security forces, and major digital platforms could be incorporated.
Cuerpo also proposed the creation of an official repository to verify suspicious phone numbers so that authorities can act, as well as enabling clear and operational mechanisms for the rapid removal of false advertisements.
The director general of CECA, Antonio Romero, recalled the more than 7,000 million euros invested by the banking sector in recent years to equip itself with mechanisms to fight financial fraud.
The president of the Platform for the Elderly and Pensioners (PMP), Norberto Fernández, pointed out that of the 460,000 cybercrimes committed in 2024, a large part were against the elderly, while insisting on the importance of approving the Law for the Creation of the Customer Financial Authority so that user claims do not end up in the judicial field where lawsuits get stuck.
Tools such as artificial intelligence are also at the service of criminals to achieve their purpose successfully and as discreetly as possible.
He also said that it is also important to give a 'final push' to the Law for the Creation of the Customer Financial Authority, whose project is still in Congress.
