Getting an unusual amount of spam calls and messages? You’re not alone — Here’s what we know and what you can do | Tech Radar

Overview

News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets

Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

Details

Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.

Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.

Getting an unusual amount of spam calls and messages? You’re not alone — Here’s what we know and what you can do

UK spam calls are getting out of control, here's how to stay safe

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Have you been getting an unusual amount of spam calls recently? Automated voices asking you to add a number on Whats App? Don’t worry, it’s not just you.

The UK appears to be going through a sudden spike in spam calls and messages, but the reason why isn’t immediately clear. Luckily it seems many of them are following a similar script.

In the spirit of combatting the spam scourge, I’ve spoken to friends and colleagues about the types of messages they have been receiving to help you spot the legitimate calls from the illegitimate - and how spam filtering can help you screen calls before you answer.

From what I have gathered so far, there are a few different spam and scam call campaigns going around at the moment. Here’s what you might have heard:

An automated voice saying “Please add me on Whats App”

By getting you to add the number on Whats App, these callers can then bypass spam filtering and allow the scam to continue. It also makes it much easier for scammers to pass on malicious files or links that are difficult to check before opening.

The era of the AI voice scam is here — and we need to be ready

Surfshark takes aim at the smishing epidemic with new real-time scam text protection

Nord VPN warns of fake Ryanair, Emirates, Qatar Airways websites used to spread malware

Whats App-based scams can sometimes be ‘task scams’ - where the recipient is offered a job testing services or apps for real money. These scams offer rewards that can be cashed out for completing tasks, but instead of banking your reward, they instead steal your financial information.

Automated Phil (who isn't always called Phil) will address you directly by name and ask you yes or no questions. In doing so, they will record your voice saying “yes” which they can then use to try to trick voice-recognition systems used by financial services and banks. When you receive a call such as this, never answer the question with “yes” and instead ask “who is calling?”

Fake reps of companies offering introductory pricing/offers

These calls are usually people pretending to be representatives of mobile networks or internet service providers. They’ll ask if you’d like to hear about an offer, ask which network you are currently with, or tell you that someone has opened an account in your name. If you are expecting a call from your service provider, call back using the official number listed on their legitimate website instead.

A rather sinister scam call that is designed to create panic on the receiving end, hoping to trick the victim out of their senses to get a callback where the scam can continue.

In some scam calls, you may receive a voicemail and decide to call back, thinking it is a legitimate call from a friend or family member only to be greeted by a stranger who has no idea what is going on and is just as confused as you are.

Surfshark warns personal devices are a 'wide-open door' as UK Prime Minister falls for impersonation scam

New 'Anony Mous' phishing campaign targets i Phone users with fake AI Apple support calls

The scammers could be using a legitimate Voice-over-IP (Vo IP) service that allows an international call to pose as a number with the correct number format for where you live. This works by routing their call through the internet and delivering the call as a local number.

Hackers are largely indiscriminate when it comes to breaking into computer systems, and - unless it is a targeted attack - they often don’t know what company they have breached until they exfiltrate any data.

But some breaches are worse than others. Supply chain attacks may not necessarily hit the company that you gave your data to, but a different company that works with the victim company.

For example, a clothing brand will need to provide your email address or mobile number to a logistics company that handles delivery. That logistics company may handle deliveries for more than one clothing brand, so when hackers hit the logistics company they can steal all of the data from multiple brands.

But the recent rise in spam calls may not necessarily be caused by a new data breach.

In order to make some quick cash, some hackers will collect data from multiple separate breaches and organize them into one big file before offering it for sale. The data contained within this trove could be from months or years ago, but many of the email addresses and phone numbers will still be active and are a potential victim.

There are a few ways to stay safe when trying to navigate potential spam and scam calls.

If a caller claims to be from a service you use such as your internet or phone provider, always ask for their name and then call back the company using the official number listed on the website. If it was a legitimate call, you’ll be routed back through to them. If not, you’ll know for sure that it was a scam.

Your bank will never ask you to tell them your PIN or card reader codes over the phone, nor will they ask for your password or ask for money to be transferred to a new account that you haven’t set up. If you aren’t sure if it is a legitimate call, use the same technique as above to find out if it really is from your bank.

One key thing to keep in mind when getting a spam call: don't hang up.

If you receive a call that your phone marks as spam, let it ring until it stops. If you hang up before answering, it lets scammers know that the phone number is active and monitored, so they will likely call back or pass on your number to other scammers.

Alternatively, you can also set up call screening on most phones. Here is how to set up call screening on i Phone and Android:

Call screening is only available on i Phone 11 and above running i OS 26 or later.

This will mean that any incoming call from a number that isn’t saved to your contacts will be asked for more information before your phone rings. This information will be displayed as plain text so you can see if the call is legitimate before answering. Just beware that calls from legitimate numbers will also be sent through call screening.

Tap the three vertical dots in the top-right corner

Tap Settings and then tap Spam and Call Screen or Call Screen

On Android, you will be able to select which calls are screened; maximum protection will screen all unknown numbers; medium protection will screen calls marked as suspicious and will outright decline spam; basic protection will not screen any calls and will only decline known spam.

Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.

Benedict is a Senior Security Writer at Tech Radar Pro, where he has specialized in covering the intersection of geopolitics, cyber-warfare, and business security.

Benedict provides detailed analysis on state-sponsored threat actors, APT groups, and the protection of critical national infrastructure, with his reporting bridging the gap between technical threat intelligence and B2B security strategy.

Benedict holds an MA (Distinction) in Security, Intelligence, and Diplomacy from the University of Buckingham Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies (BUCSIS), with his specialization providing him with a robust academic framework for deconstructing complex international conflicts and intelligence operations, and the ability to translate intricate security data into actionable insights.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Neagley is 'superior in literally every way' to Reacher season 4, according to fans — and that's the most promising update for season 2 hitting Prime Video yet

'Copilot is a scourge that I avoid at all opportunities': Microsoft is giving the Copilot app its own browser, but Windows 11 users remain largely unimpressed

'The best office keyboard I’ve ever used': We rated the Keychron V6 Max wireless mechanical keyboard 5 stars, and it’s just dropped in price

Customize your AI generated website: A step-by-step guide

Palantir CEO Alex Karp reckons Open AI will never IPO — mainly due to the huge amount of liability it carries

Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Key Takeaways

News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards