Ofcom consultation deadline on draft measures for scam ads
Friday 2nd October, 2026
Ofcom is consulting on draft rules to curb paid-for fraudulent online adverts (scam ads) under the Online Safety Act, with responses due by 2 October 2026 in the UK.
This lets Rightmove join the UK conversation on preventing scam property ads and protecting buyers, renters and agents on its platform.
Why have we flagged this?
Direct, high-relevance issue — as the UK's biggest property portal, Rightmove can credibly lead the conversation on preventing property scam ads, announce policy changes or tech measures, share data on scams, and position itself as an industry voice to influence Ofcom and reassure users.
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Data idea
Where rental scams hit hardest on Rightmove
Map the UK hotspots where attempted rental scam listings are most frequently flagged on Rightmove.
Data to investigate: Analyse your internal fraud moderation logs to rank local areas by share of rental listings flagged and removed for suspected scams over the past 12 months.
Why: Puts a hard number on where renters are most at risk, tied directly to Ofcom’s focus on paid scam ads.
Data idea
How fast Rightmove kills a suspected scam
Show median takedown time from first user report to removal for suspected fraudulent listings.
Data to investigate: Use your case management timestamps to measure time from first user flag to listing removal for suspected scam ads, by month.
Why: Gives a clear, defensible metric on platform safety performance as rules tighten.
Data idea
One in X rental enquiries go to a scam listing
Quantify how many renter enquiries are intercepted by listings later removed as suspected scams.
Data to investigate: Pull enquiry counts to rental listings that were subsequently taken down for suspected fraud, and calculate the proportion versus all rental enquiries in the same period.
Why: A single headline stat shows the human impact of scam ads in plain terms.