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Unfortunately, phone scams are becoming increasingly common. But what exactly is a phone scam, and how can you protect yourself from falling victim to one? Let’s break it down.

A phone scam is when someone tries to trick you into giving away personal information, money, or access to your devices through a call, text, WhatsApp or voicemail.

Scammers might pose as a legitimate company, government agency, or even someone you know like a friend, family member or colleague – all in the hopes of gaining your trust.

Once they do, they may ask for your financial details, passwords, or personal information, which they can use to steal your money or identity.

Some of the most common phone scams:

• Phishing: You might receive a call or text claiming to be from your bank, a delivery company, government or a service provider asking you to confirm personal details. They’ll normally need to talk to you about something urgently and it might sound serious or like a deal that’s too good to miss.

• Missed calls: You get a missed call from a number you don’t recognise, often from overseas. When you call back, you’re charged a premium rate without realising it.

• Prizes and lottery: You’re told you’ve won a prize, but to claim it, you need to pay a fee or provide personal details. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• Tech support: Someone pretends to be from a tech company, warning you of a problem with your device. They’ll ask for remote access or payment to fix the issue, but in reality, they’re gaining access to your personal data.

• Be cautious of unsolicited calls: If someone calls asking for personal information, hang up and call the company directly using a verified number.

• Don’t share personal details: Banks, government agencies, and phone providers will never ask for passwords or PINs over the phone.

• Block suspicious numbers: If you keep receiving calls from a dodgy number, block it.

• Be wary of urgent requests: Scammers often create a sense of urgency to manipulate victims. Take a moment to think before responding.

• Report scams: If you experience a scam, report it to your phone provider or Action Fraud.

If you receive a scam phone call, don’t share any personal information. Hang up immediately and report it:

• Contact us: O2 customers can report scam calls by texting the number to 7726 for free. This helps block the number and protect others.

• Report to Action Fraud: The UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre investigates these calls. Visit the Action Fraud website or call them directly.

• Block the number: Most smartphones allow you to block numbers easily, preventing further contact.

Scam numbers constantly change, but there are warning signs:

• Missed calls from unknown numbers: Be cautious of calling back numbers you’ve missed calls from, particularly if these are international numbers because calling back could result in high charges.

• Unknown or blocked numbers: Scammers often use blocked or spoofed numbers – where the number appears different on screen to the one really calling.

• Automated or robocalls: Be wary of recorded messages asking for personal information. Legitimate companies rarely use these methods for sensitive matters.