Brits are being urged to hang up if they suspect a scam. (Image: Getty)
Millions of mobile phone users have been warned after a surge in scam calls in the UK. Experts warn that scammers increasingly clone bank representatives or official bodies, browbeating victims into making unwise purchases or investments.
Age UK has sounded the alarm, cautioning the public: “Be aware that scammers can keep your phone line open even after you’ve hung up. Use a different phone, call someone you know first to check the line is free, or wait at least 10 to 15 minutes between calls to make sure any scammers have hung up.”
These warnings trail Ofcom’s latest mandate for phone carriers to stop all overseas calls that show a UK landline number. Britons are prompted to end calls if they suspect a scam.
Meanwhile, UK Finance, the force behind the anti-fraud campaign Take Five, urged Brits to take a moment to scrutinise before surrendering any cash or sensitive data, reiterating that “only criminals will try to rush or panic you… Ask yourself, could it be fake? Ask someone you trust for a second opinion.”
Lloyds Bank has also sounded the alarm about the dangers of online scams, with a particular focus on the perils lurking on social media giants like Facebook and , adding: “Most online shopping scam reports we receive relate to things bought through Facebook or . If the seller is offering expensive goods at cut-down prices or has items that are otherwise unavailable, it’s a major red flag.”
For households battling against nuisance calls, signing up with the Telephone Preference Service offers a respite. Labelled as “the UK’s only official ‘do not call’ register for landlines and mobile numbers”, the TPS provides a simple and free option for anyone looking to block unwelcome live sales and marketing calls.
Once you’ve added your number to the TPS register, expect fewer interruptions from those pesky sales and marketing calls.
Businesses aren’t left out; they can join the Corporate Telephone Preference Service, designed to protect company phones from the same disturbances.