EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have joined with the UKs Information Commissioner to help battle spam on a global scale.

Using the GSMAs Spam Reporting Service, UK mobile users will now be able to send the offending message to 7726 or SPAM. Operators will then be able to analyse the messages and share this information between themselves to help identify the sources of attacks and shut them down.

Spammers found to breach the Privacy of Electronic Communication Regulations (PECR) and will be liable for a fine. As a next step, the operators and the ICO are investigating ways to extend the service to address nuisance calls.

“Increasing numbers of consumers are victims of spam and mobile network operators are working hard defending against these threats,” said John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA. “The GSMA Spam Reporting Service provides operators with a tool to measure the extent of fraud and phishing and provides the insight needed to address sophisticated messaging threats that could harm users.”