Stay safe from phone fraud
Every scam here works by sounding official. Every defence works by refusing to be rushed.
The common attacks, decoded
Spoofed caller ID — the call 'from your network'
The display can show a genuine network number while a criminal talks. The defence is procedural, not perceptive: hang up and call back on the official number printed on your bill — dialled fresh, never redialled from the call history.
The 'upgrade team' call
A generous loyalty upgrade arrives by phone; the caller then 'verifies' you with a one-time code — which actually authorises account takeover or a device ordered in your name. Genuine offers live inside your official app. Look there; the caller's offer won't be.
SIM-swap — the quiet phone
Your number is moved to a criminal's SIM; your banking codes follow. Warning sign: sudden total signal loss while people around you have service. Response: your network's official fraud line, immediately. Hardening steps: eSIM guide.
'Missed parcel' and 'unpaid toll' texts
Links harvesting card details. Track parcels in the retailer's own app; pay tolls on the operator's own site, typed by hand, never from a text link.
Reporting: where evidence goes
Forward scam texts as received; report scam calls by texting the word "Call" followed by the number.
Speed matters most in the first hours.
The UK's national fraud reporting centre — reports build the enforcement picture.
Want to talk it through?
Our helpline answers general questions about anything in this hub — switching, coverage, complaints, staying safe. We can't open accounts, take payments, or act for any network.
0330 059 7117 Standard UK rate · usually free within inclusive minutes · we never ask for passcodes, banking or card details