Why some calls ring once
These calls come from automated systems that dial large numbers of phones. The call lasts less than a second and shows as a missed call. If you call back, you are connected to a premium rate service and charged for as long as you stay on the line. Ofcom calls them missed call scams, also known as Wangiri scams.
Vodafone makes a reassuring point: you have not been singled out. The fraudster generates missed calls to a whole range of numbers, and yours happened to be in it. Calling back usually costs money and encourages more missed calls.
Numbers that cost more to call back
For many ranges, the price has two parts: a service charge set by the organisation you call, and an access charge set by your own phone company, which Ofcom’s guide puts between 8p and 67p a minute.
| Starts with | What it is | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| 070 | Personal number that forwards calls, not a mobile | Around 50p a minute from a landline, 86p from a mobile, unless in your allowance |
| 076 | Radiopaging | No typical price in Ofcom’s guide; Ofcom warns they can be premium rate |
| 084 | Service number | Service charge 0p to 7p a minute, plus access charge |
| 087 | Service number | Service charge 0p to 13p a minute, plus access charge |
| 09 | Premium rate | Service charge 1p to £3.60 a minute, or 5p to £6 a call, plus access charge |
| 118 | Directory enquiries | Service charge capped at £3.65 per 90 seconds, plus access charge |
Ofcom adds that premium rate numbers generally begin with 09, 118, 087 and some 084, and that five and six-digit text shortcodes can also be premium rate services.
Recorded “job offer” calls
In October 2026 Ofcom warned about two common kinds of scam call: an automated voice claiming to have a job offer for you, and an unknown number that rings for a few moments before hanging up. Both are meant to make you call back. Once someone does, criminals try to pressure them into giving out personal details or paying money, and the call itself can run up a large bill if it goes to a premium rate number.
Ofcom’s advice for both: hang up, give no personal details, and report the call to 7726.
Before you call back
- Check what kind of number it is. Put it into the check on this site: it tells you the range, what calling it costs and which phone company holds the block.
- Search the number online. Ofcom notes that scam numbers are often flagged by other people who received the same call.
- Wait for a message. O2 suggests ignoring calls you cannot identify unless you are expecting one, because a caller with something important will usually leave a voicemail.
- If the call claimed to be from an organisation, call it back on a number from its official website, not the number that called you.
If you have already been charged
If you think you were charged because of a scam call, contact your phone company and report it to Report Fraud, or to Police Scotland on 101 if you live in Scotland.
Since 1 February 2025, Ofcom itself regulates premium rate services, which the Phone-paid Services Authority used to do day to day. For an unexpected charge on your phone bill, Ofcom’s premium rate service checker tells you who to contact about it.