ACMA signs global MoU to fight spam

ACMA has joined forces with regulators in seven other countries worldwide to step up the global fight against spam, scams and unsolicited communications.

ACMA will work with 10 regulators and enforcement authorities from North America, APAC and Europe to share information and coordinate enforcement efforts.

The agency has signed an MoU with bodies in Canada, South Korea, the Netherlands, the UK, New Zealand, South Africa and the US to collaborate on the initiative.

Each of the signatories have committed to share information and intelligence to address unlawful spam-related problems — including online fraud, phishing and virus distribution — as well as unsolicited calls and texts.

The signatories are all regulatory members of the London Action Plan (LAP), an international cybersecurity enforcement network consisting of regulators and enforcement agencies in 29 countries and territories across every continent.

ACMA said that authorities in other countries have also expressed an interest in committing to the MoU.

Besides ACMA, the ACCC and the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner are also Australian member organisations of the LAP.

The ACCC estimates that Australians lost over $229 million to scams in 2015, with losses from investment scams almost doubling to over $24 million.

Image courtesy of www.elbpresse.de/Wikimedia Commons