Vishing scams, otherwise known as phone scams, involve fraudsters calling you and attempting to get your personal details under false guises.
These scams can be particularly annoying and, in some cases, incredibly persuasive. In a recent survey*, Ofcom found that two thirds of respondents had received suspicious calls on their mobile in the past three months and six in 10 had received them on their landline.
It also found that one in 10 people received a suspicious recorded message a few times a week on their landline and one in five on their mobile in the past three months.
A quarter of respondents had received suspicious live voice calls a few times a week on their landline, and one in eight on their mobile in the past three months.
Read on to learn about the latest scam calls circulating.
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1. Health adviser scam
A GP practice has warned on Facebook about a sneaky health scam that’s circulating. The call begins with a fraudster pretending to be a ‘senior health adviser’ at your GP practice.
The scam caller goes on to ask you about your medical conditions before peddling medication for a price. Not only does the scammer gain information on your health, but they’ll also take your card details for the ‘medication’.
The number used in the scam has previously been linked to other scam calls offering joint care products and vitamins.
2. WhatsApp job scam
A call that goes to a voice recording when you answer, and tells you about a non-existent job opportunity.
The recorded message also asks you to contact a number on WhatsApp to hear more about the position.
Contacting this number will lead to a job scam, which could see you roped into a fraudulent scheme that goes on for weeks or months.
3. Bank fraud department
More than one spoofed mobile number is currently calling people impersonating well-known banks.
The caller claims to be from the bank’s fraud department and goes on to tell you that your account has been compromised.
This then allows the scammer to coax you into revealing your personal and financial details while you’re in a panic.
4. Mobile operator scam
Fraudsters are continuing to impersonate large mobile operators to peddle fake discounts in exchange for your personal and payment information.
This scam begins with someone claiming to be from your mobile operator. They may also have some details about you that they could have collected from an unrelated data breach in the past. They’ll use this to get more information on you in an attempt to access your account.
As they’ll be trying to get into your account, you may receive a genuine text from your mobile operator with a one-time passcode (OTP). If you share this, they’ll be able to get in.
Some people report that the scammer knows when their contract will end and offers them the chance to save money on an upgrade.
5. Loft insulation calls
A scammer calling from a spoofed London landline number has reportedly been calling people offering loft insulation services.
Reports say that the caller claimed they were either a heating or energy adviser for the local area, and go on to ask you about how old your loft insulation is, whether you’re a homeowner, and your age.
6 ways to avoid falling for a scam call
- Always be cautious with unrecognised numbers and unexpected calls.
- Never give away your financial information over the phone.
- Register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) so legitimate companies can’t make unsolicited sales calls, making scam calls easier to spot.
- Scammers may be able to keep your phone line open even after you’ve hung up. So after hanging up, use a different phone to call the company back on a trusted number or wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
- Call 159 if you receive a call claiming to be from your bank. When you call, you’ll be put through to your bank’s genuine customer service line.
- Search phone numbers on Who Called Me to see if there are any scam reports for that number.
Reporting scam calls
On an iPhone, you can report a scam number to your provider by texting the word ‘call’ followed by the phone number to 7726.
On an Android phone, text the word ‘call’ to 7726. You’ll then receive a message asking you for the scam number.
For scam calls received on WhatsApp, open the WhatsApp chat with the dodgy phone number and tap ‘block’. You can report the contact by tapping ‘report contact’ and ‘block’.
If you fall victim to a scam, call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your bank card and report it to Action Fraud, or call the police on 101 if you’re in Scotland.
*Ofcom scams survey, fieldwork 5th to 7th February 2025
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