If money or details are involved
Act quickly. Ofcom’s advice is to contact your bank or card provider straight away, using the number on the back of your card, your bank’s website or app, or 159 if your bank supports it, because it may be able to stop a payment or recover the money. 159 connects you to your bank directly; Stop Scams UK says it reaches more than 99% of UK retail bank current accounts and cannot be spoofed.
Then report the scam. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, that is Report Fraud, online or on 0300 123 2040, the UK’s national cyber crime and fraud reporting service, which took over from Action Fraud. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101.
If you clicked a link or installed something on your phone during the call, Ofcom also advises contacting your mobile provider, and avoiding banking apps on that phone until you are sure it is safe.
Report the number to 7726
7726 spells SPAM on a phone keypad. Forwarding a suspicious text to it is free, and lets your mobile provider investigate and block the sender. It works on most UK networks.
It works for calls too. Ofcom suggests opening your recent calls, copying the number, and sending it in a text to 7726. Vodafone describes the same service as texting the word CALL followed by the number, and says the report is shared so that all mobile providers can investigate and potentially block the number.
Which service handles which call
Each official body deals with one kind of problem. Reporting to the right one is what gets something done.
| What happened | Who to tell |
|---|---|
| You lost money or gave details to a scammer | Your bank, then Report Fraud (0300 123 2040) or, in Scotland, Police Scotland (101) |
| A scam text, or a call from a number you think is a scam | 7726, free |
| A live or recorded sales call you did not agree to, or a spam text from a company | The Information Commissioner’s Office, online or on 0303 123 1113 |
| A silent call, or a recorded message saying no operator was free | Ofcom, online or on 0300 123 3333 |
| An abusive or threatening call | Your phone company’s nuisance calls team, and the police on 101, or 999 if you are in immediate danger |
| A call or text claiming to be from HMRC | HMRC’s online form for suspicious calls; texts to 60599 |
| A suspicious email | Forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk |
Silent and abandoned calls
An abandoned call is one that rings but ends, or plays a message, when you answer. A silent call is one where you hear nothing at all. Ofcom says most are caused by automated dialling systems in call centres rather than deliberate targeting.
- Try to identify the caller: companies using diallers must display a number, and on a landline you can dial 1471 after the call.
- Note the number, the time and how often you are called.
- Complain to Ofcom. It cannot investigate individual cases, but complaints can lead to investigations, and Ofcom can fine an organisation up to £2 million.
Unwanted sales calls
The Telephone Preference Service is the UK’s official “do not call” register for landlines and mobiles. Registering is free: online, by calling 0345 070 0707, or by texting “TPS” and your email address to 85095 from your mobile. Organisations must screen their lists against it at least once every 28 days, so it can take up to 28 days for calls to drop.
The TPS tells legitimate marketers not to call you. It does not block scam calls. If a company keeps calling after you have asked it to stop, or after registering, complain to the ICO.
Getting support
Being scammed is distressing, and it is common. For free, confidential help, Ofcom points to Citizens Advice, online or on 0808 223 1133 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm), and in Scotland to Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000.