Hold CEOs Liable for Scams – Simon Newman | Global Anti-Scam Summit London 2025

Date of Event: 26–27 March 2025

Event: Global Anti-Scam Summit London 2025

Simon Newman, CEO of the Online Dating and Discovery Association (ODDA), delivered a provocative talk at the Global Anti-Scam Summit London 2025, challenging the current approach to corporate accountability in online fraud. Speaking from his background in government and industry, Newman argued that existing laws and regulatory efforts have failed to stem the growth of scams.

He proposed a more radical solution: introducing corporate liability for scams, similar to corporate manslaughter laws. Companies that show a willful disregard for user safety online should face serious consequences, including criminal charges against executives. He also advocated for better information sharing between industries, the use of real-time scam data, a national-level agency dedicated to tackling scams, and stronger government leadership in fraud prevention efforts.

Newman showcased a pilot project with Scamalytics, where scammer IP addresses were shared across dating platforms to block bad actors across multiple sites. Early results show significant promise for cross-platform collaboration.

Closing his talk, Newman called for bold government action, deeper private sector collaboration, and greater investment in research to build a truly hostile environment for scammers.