The Threat of Robocall Fraud
The art of robocalling has become far more sophisticated and prevalent in the last 30 years, as technological advances and device ownership have grown at an alarming rate. Indeed, there are several ways in which fraud is accomplished via robocalling.
Caller ID spoofing involves the falsifying of the information displayed on a device, in effect leading the recipient to believe the caller is one of their contacts or a trusted organisation. In instances where the caller identification is unknown to the end user, the area code might be the same as their own, in theory lending credibility to the call. The onus is then thrust upon the fraudster to back up this initial plausibility with being able to convince the end user that the call is genuine, but receiving a call from a trusted-looking number is a very compelling reason for recipients to ‘go along’ with the nature of the call.
SIM swapping is a process where a fraudster convinces a mobile network operator to transfer an individual telephone number to a SIM card in their possession. This is achieved through a process of digging personal details from social media sites and robocalling to build up a picture of the victim, aiming to extract the relevant data needed to authenticate their identity by the mobile provider. In this example, robocalling is not an end in itself, but is used as part of the process to gain the trust of the network operator and ultimately, have access to one-time security codes allied to a two-step verification which potentially opens up complete access to an individual’s life.
In a similar vein, unauthorised number reassignment or mobile phone number porting involves fake number porting requests to mobile providers once the criminal has built up a comprehensive picture of their victim, including sufficient layers of data with which to approach the network operator with confidence. Once this hurdle has been overcome, it becomes easy to intercept one-time passwords sent via SMS as part of a two-step verification process.
Unauthorised call forwarding is from the same methodology as SIM swapping and unauthorised number reassignment so that when calls that include one-time passwords are not received or triggered by the intended recipient, they are likely being intercepted and used by a fraudster.
Any form of robocalling is only as good as its lead lists, and the lengths to which a criminal will go to source them. Tranches of data, often sizeable in the amount of mobile numbers contained within it, can be legally obtained by telemarketers who may use robocalling as a legitimate, if somewhat annoying, form of cold calling. It is unclear as to whether these otherwise lawfully procured lead lists make their way into the hands of those with less honourable intentions, but many end users will be unaware of the option to opt out of their data being mined by third parties.
Offering a range of solutions to the scourge of robocalling and associated fraudulent practices, third-party platforms are now an integral part of the landscape. Platforms are focused on designing systems to disrupt unsolicited and potentially criminal calls, third-party organisations can in theory do the legwork for network operators. Issues of whether one-size-fits-all developments are sufficient to be effective across the spectrum need to be addressed, and whether for example a single network operator working unilaterally with a third-party platform could compromise desired or mandatory industry-wide standards.
Latest research, whitepapers & press releases
-
ReportOctober 2025Fintech & PaymentsDigital Identity Market: 2025-2030
Juniper Research’s Digital Identity research suite provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis of this market; enabling stakeholders, including digital identity platform providers, digital identity verification providers, government agencies, banks, and many others, to understand future growth, key trends, and the competitive environment.
VIEW -
ReportOctober 2025Telecoms & ConnectivityTravel eSIM Market: 2025-2030
Our comprehensive Travel eSIMs research suite comprises detailed assessment of a market undergoing rapid growth. It provides insight into how travel eSIM providers can differentiate their services to maximise success in the market over the next two years.
VIEW -
ReportOctober 2025IoT & Emerging TechnologyDirect to Satellite Market: 2025-2030
Juniper Research’s Direct to Satellite research suite provides satellite providers, investors, and partners, such as Mobile Network Operators, with an extensive analysis and insights into the direct to satellite market.
VIEW -
ReportSeptember 2025Fintech & PaymentsInstant Payments Market: 2025-2030
Juniper Research’s Instant Payments research suite provides a wide-ranging and strategic analysis of this market; enabling stakeholders - from banks, infrastructure providers, regulators, and businesses - to understand future growth, key trends, and the competitive environment.
VIEW -
ReportSeptember 2025Fintech & PaymentsAnti-money Laundering Systems Market: 2025-2030
Our AML Systems research suite provides a detailed and insightful analysis of this evolving market; enabling stakeholders from financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, regulatory bodies and technology vendors to understand future growth, key trends, and the competitive environment.
VIEW -
ReportSeptember 2025Fintech & PaymentsA2A Payments Market: 2025-2030
Our A2A Payments research suite provides detailed analysis of this rapidly changing market; enabling A2A payments service providers to gain an understanding of key payment trends and challenges, potential growth opportunities, and the competitive environment.
VIEW
-
WhitepaperOctober 2025Fintech & PaymentsHow Digital Identity is Going Mainstream
Our complimentary whitepaper, How Digital Identity is Going Mainstream, assesses the trends that are moving digital identity to be increasingly popular, and challenges to digital identity growth.
VIEW -
WhitepaperOctober 2025IoT & Emerging TechnologyBeam Me Up: The Direct to Satellite Revolution
Our complimentary whitepaper, Beam Me Up: The Direct to Satellite Revolution, evaluates the future key services that satellite providers must offer in the direct to satellite market.
VIEW -
WhitepaperOctober 2025Telecoms & ConnectivityWhy Operators Are Launching Travel eSIMs in 2026
Our complimentary whitepaper, Why Operators Are Launching Travel eSIMs in 2026, examines the outlook of the travel eSIMs market over the next five years.
VIEW -
WhitepaperSeptember 2025Fintech & PaymentsFrom Detection to Prevention: The Next Era of Anti-money Laundering
Our complimentary whitepaper, From Detection to Prevention: The Next Era of Anti-money Laundering, examines the state of the AML systems market; considering the impact that a changing regulatory environment and a growing number of use cases is having on the market. Additionally, it includes a forecast summary of the total value of the AML systems market in 2030.
VIEW -
WhitepaperSeptember 2025Fintech & Payments3 Key Trends Driving Instant Payments
Our complimentary whitepaper, 3 Key Trends Driving Instant Payments, assesses how key trends are driving the evolution of the instant payments market, and which challenges these resolve. Additionally, it includes a forecast summary of the global transaction values via instant payment schemes by 2029.
VIEW -
WhitepaperSeptember 2025Fintech & PaymentsAscending-to-Ailing: The Deceleration of A2A Adoption
Our complimentary whitepaper, Ascending-to-Ailing: The Deceleration of A2A Adoption, examines the state of the A2A payments market; considering the impact of this payment method and how it is shaping the modern payments landscape through lower fees and enriched user experience.
VIEW
-
Fintech & Payments
eCommerce Market to Reach 440 Billion Transactions by 2030 Globally, With Emerging Markets and Agentic Commerce Set to Accelerate Growth
November 2025 -
Telecoms & Connectivity
OTT Business Messaging Traffic to Grow 45% Globally Over Next Two Years
October 2025 -
Fintech & Payments
Fraud Detection & Prevention Spending by Financial Institutions Reaches $21 Billion Annually
October 2025 -
Telecoms & Connectivity
Fraud Prevention APIs to Generate $5bn for Operators Globally by 2030, But Diversification of API Applications Needed
October 2025 -
Sustainability & Smart Cities
Smart Building Interoperability Frameworks to Drive $21bn Global Platform Spend Next Year
October 2025 -
Fintech & Payments
Digital Identity Market to Exceed $80 Billion by 2030 Globally, Accelerated by Regulation & Hybrid Strategies
October 2025