Movistar has said it has dismantled in Spain so far 229 million fraudulent calls blocked. The company is publicising the figure as part of a campaign launched in September 2026 highlighting network protection features. According to a recent industry report, Movistar says that around 480,000 fraud attempts are blocked each day. The figure of 229 million is a company-reported figure; detailed independent statistics confirming this exact total are not publicly available.
Documented starting points: Telefónica said on 6 April 2026 in a press release that it had prevented more than 190 million fraudulent calls since March 2025. The company cites the state-coordinated Plan Antiestafas telefónicas, which the government and network operators are implementing together. Spain’s Ministry for Digital Transformation reported on 4 February 2026 extensive blocking of calls and SMS messages since the plan began on 7 March 2025. This official statement clearly demonstrates the general trend of sharply increasing blocks, without auditing individual operators’ figures in detail.
According to Movistar, the 229 million now reported result from automated network interventions, filtering rules targeting known patterns and protection features on devices. From a regulatory perspective, requirements governing customer communications and coordinated exchanges with the supervisory authority provide the basis for systematic blocking. It is common for operators and the government to report in parallel in this area; however, the company’s figure remains one for which Movistar is responsible.
Outstanding questions: It is unclear how the 229 million are technically defined – for example, whether they include only clearly fraudulent attempts, or also unsolicited advertising and other spam – and how often misclassifications occur. The company has also not reported any independent checks to verify its counting method. For consumers, the relevant point is that a combination of technology and regulation has been intended to noticeably reduce unwanted contact since March 2025; at the same time, transparency about methodology and checks is essential to ensure comparisons between providers are meaningful.
The immediate news hook is Movistar’s renewed publication of figures in September 2026. Earlier documented figures – 190 million, according to Telefónica on 6 April 2026 – and the officially documented impact of the plan provide context. Media reports such as the one by El Debate on 26 September 2026 put the scale and daily figures in context, without independently checking the company’s internal counting method.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).