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What should I do if a phone call is a scam?
How do I stop a scammer from calling my phone?
Can you report a phone scam?
Are phone calls a scam?
How do I report a text scam?
How do you know if a phone scam is a scam?
Feb 14, 2024 · If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, report it to Action Fraud as soon as possible. You can do this by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting the Action Fraud website. Action Fraud is the reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Bank Scams
- Undercover Police Scams
- Computer Or Mobile Phone Repair Scams
- HMRC Scams
- Council Tax Scams
- Compensation Calls
- Texts with Fake Links
- Telephone Preference Service Scams
- Pension Or Debt Management Offers
- Fake Caller ID
Watch out for calls supposedly from your bank about fraudulent use of your bank account or bank cards. Scammers might ask you for your PIN and tell you to give your bank card to a courier. Your bank would never do this.
These can be calls from someone claiming to be the 'undercover police', claiming that they're investigating a member of staff at your bank and asking for your card details. The police would never ask you to take part in an investigation like this.
The person may call and tell you that your device has a virus, and that you need to download software to fix it. This is actually spyware – an unwanted programme that runs on your device and can give scammers access to all your online information.
You may get a call from someone claiming to be from HMRC saying there's an issue with your tax refund or an unpaid tax bill. They may leave a message and ask you to call back. HMRC would never contact you this way and would never ask you to reveal personal financial information such as your bank account details.
Calls claiming to be about correcting your Council Tax band or giving you a Council Tax rebate. Your council would never call you about a rebate out of the blue.
This is a call from a company asking about a car accident you’ve supposedly had claiming you may be entitled to compensation. Don’t engage in these calls. If you’ve had an accident, call your own insurance company on the phone number provided on your policy.
You might receive a text asking you to follow a link to fix a problem with one of your accounts or to track a parcel. These links will often take you to a fake website and get you to log in, which scammers can then use to access your information.
Watch out for calls asking you to pay to renew your membership of the Telephone Preference Service. The service is free and any calls asking you to pay for it are scams.
Be wary of cold calls or texts from strange numbers offering products or services, such as pension or debt management.
Scammers can mimic an official telephone number, which can trick you into thinking the caller is from a legitimate organisation, such as a bank or utility company. Just because someone knows your basic details doesn't mean they're legitimate. These details could include your name, address, your mother's maiden name and even your Direct Debits.
Phone fraud is when a fraudster calls or messages you, pretending to be someone you know or from an organisation you trust such as your bank or the police. They then convince you to hand over...
Nov 15, 2022 · 41 million people targeted by suspicious calls and texts this summer. Phone companies will be required to identify and block ‘spoofed’ calls, where feasible. New guidance sets out how telecoms firms should make sure real numbers are not misused.
Check what to do if you've been scammed. When to call the police. Contact the police immediately by calling 101 if: the scammer is in your area. you've transferred money to the scammer in the last 24 hours. If you feel threatened or unsafe call 999. Gather all the details of the scam. Write down the details of your scam.
How to report phone scams. If you receive a spam call on an iPhone, you can report it to your provider by texting the word ‘call’ followed by the phone number to 7726. If you have an Android phone, text the word ‘call’ to 7726. You’ll then receive a message asking you for the scam number.
Oct 21, 2024 · You report scam texts by forwarding the message to 7726 - a free reporting service provided by phone operators. This information is then shared with the police and intelligence agencies working to stop text scams.
