Scam phone calls used by criminals can take a number of forms – currently, two common ones involve an automated voice claiming to have a job offer for you, or an unknown number calling you for a few moments before hanging up.
These kinds of scam calls are intended to encourage you to call back the number the scammer is using. When they’ve got people on the phone, criminals try to manipulate or pressure them into giving out sensitive information or making payments to accounts they control. You could also run up a large bill by unknowingly calling a premium-rate number.
If you receive one of these calls, hang up, don’t give out any personal details, and report the call to 7726.
While scams like these remain a real concern, the number of people who report that they have recently received a suspicious call has fallen over the last four years.
Ofcom also has an ongoing programme of work aimed at tackling phone scams and scam mobile messages. We are currently investigating four telecoms providers as part of this.
Our consumer hub can help
We also recently launched a new online consumer hub - www.ofcom.org.uk/onyourside - offering a wealth of advice, including around how to protect yourself against scams, alongside money-saving tips, help with common service problems and routes to complain.
An Ofcom spokesperson said: “Tackling this complex problem requires a joined-up approach from Government, other regulators, law enforcement and industry. We’ve already made it harder for scammers to spoof UK landline numbers, and telecoms companies are blocking millions of scam calls every month.
“And recently we set out our new strengthened guidance for telecoms companies to stop criminals abroad calling people in the UK with spoof UK mobile numbers. We are confident this will have a significant impact and expect companies to invest in tech to protect their customers.”
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