Swisscom, Sunrise form telecom fraud risk consortium

Swisscom and Sunrise, Switzerland’s two largest telecom operators, together with LexisNexis Risk Solutions, have launched what they describe as the world’s first telecom fraud risk consortium in Switzerland. The consortium shares real-time intelligence on fraudulent events to help block threat actors earlier in the attack chain.

Members exchange live risk signals and known high-risk data attributes so a fraud pattern detected by one provider can prompt defensive action at the other. The project focuses on fraud that begins during telecom onboarding and authentication processes.

The initiative responds to regulatory expectations for stronger fraud prevention across digital channels. Project analysis shows that in 2025 more than one in 20 digital interactions-over 5%—were confirmed fraud attacks, above ecommerce’s 4.6% and about five times higher than the rate in financial services.

Attacks are concentrated on new account creation, where roughly one in eight applications showed signs of fraud, and on payments, which recorded an 84% year-on-year increase in attack attempts.

Operators say fraudsters who are blocked by one provider often try another. By feeding back risk signals in near real time, the consortium gives members an early warning to intercept the same actor when they attempt to pivot to a different network.

In the project’s first three months, participants identified more than 4,000 high-risk data attributes and reported a 150% uplift in fraud detection.

LexisNexis Risk Solutions supplies the technology and data that enable automated, near-instant feedback on suspicious behaviour and shared indicators of compromise.

Telecom control of digital onboarding flows means early detection at the telco level can reduce fraudulent accounts that might later be used against banks, retailers or payment providers. Banks and other downstream industries have sought stronger telecom-level defences to stop the creation of fraudulent accounts.

Michael Hohermuth, fraud manager at Swisscom, described the effect: “The ability to act on high-risk signals before a fraud attempt hits enhances our approach to threat management. The real-time feedback loop with Sunrise means that if either member spots a threat, the other can act when that same threat actor comes knocking at our door.”