See who’s calling with Brand ID and Call Defence
With scammers using new tech and tactics, it’s getting harder to spot nuisance and fraudulent calls. So, we’ve introduced some services at no extra cost to help protect your time, money and peace of mind.
Brand ID lets you know when a genuine business is calling by showing their name on your screen, while Call Defence checks phone numbers to let you know if a call might be a scam or spam. It’s up to you whether you answer but – remember – you should always be wary when giving any personal information over the phone.
If you’re on a Pay Monthly custom plan, SIM Only plan or with O2 Business, you’ll automatically see Brand ID and Call Defence labelling.
An example of Brand ID and Call Defence on your phone screen:
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Not all calls will be labelled by these services. You should always remain vigilant when asked to provide personal information over the phone. If you’re ever concerned, you should hang up. O2 is not liable if you fall victim to a spam or scam call.
Why did I get a text, email or letter about Brand ID, Call Defence or both?
We’ve let you know about these services because you’ll soon have access to at least one of them, at no extra cost.
How do I activate Brand ID and Call Defence
You don't have to do anything – they’ll be switched on automatically. If you’re using an iPhone, you need to be running iOS 18.
Will all calls from legitimate businesses be labelled?
No – Brand ID is powered by Hiya. Only companies that have an agreement with them will be labelled. So, you might get calls from genuine businesses that aren’t labelled.
Will all scam and spam calls be labelled?
No – our services are constantly improving, but we can’t guarantee that all scam and spam calls will be labelled. You should always be wary when giving any personal info over the phone, and if you’re ever worried, please hang up.
I don’t want to receive Brand ID and Call Defence – can I turn them off?
Brand ID can’t be switched off, but you’re able to opt out of Call Defence if you’re on a Pay Monthly custom plan or SIM Only plan. To do this, get in touch with us by calling 202 on your O2 mobile, or messaging us on social media or webchat. We’ll sort it for you.
Brand ID and Call Defence FAQs
The service you already have might override Brand ID and Call Defence.
These services run on the O2 network, so you’ll need to be in the UK for them to work.
No – they’ll only work on incoming calls on the O2 network.
We’re rolling out these services in stages, and we’ll message when they’re available to you.
No, sorry – they only work on smartphones.
Please get in touch with the incorrectly labelled business directly. They can then sort things out with Hiya.
If your calls are being mislabelled, you can fill out this form. Hiya can then sort things out.
To report a scam call, simply text 7726 with the word ‘Call’ followed by the scam caller’s number.
You can also download the Hiya app from the Google Play or App Store and report it on there too.
Terms apply.
Brand ID and Call Defence: Pay monthly customers only. iOS devices require iOS 18. Call labelling services for incoming calls on O2’s UK network only. Brand ID labels companies registered with our service provider Hiya. Call Defence helps detect potential suspicious calls, but we can’t guarantee that all spam or scam calls will be labelled. O2 accepts no liability for third party fraud.
Last updated: 04/04/2025
