UK Scam Call Trends: October 2026
Written by Hannah Hood, on . Last updated Energy and insulation calls topped Phonely’s October 2026 scam and nuisance-call findings, with 309 reports describing approaches about home insulation, energy grants and property assessments.
Analysis of 1,637 public comments submitted to NuisanceCalls.org.uk also identified 267 silent-call reports and 95 involving banking or account-security concerns.
Meanwhile, telephone number searches reached 894,159 during October, up 10.4% compared with September.
October 2026 scam call statistics
- 1,646 nuisance and suspicious-call reports recorded.
- 309 reports mentioned energy, insulation or solar-related calls.
- 267 reports described silent calls.
- 95 reports involved banking or account-security approaches.
- 894,159 telephone number searches, up 10.4% month-on-month.
Top reported scam and nuisance-call subjects – October 2026
Based on written descriptions in 1,637 approved comments. Silent calls are reported separately. Some themes overlap.
Energy and insulation calls lead October’s reports
Energy-related calls accounted for 18.9% of all written reports analysed, making them October’s most frequently identified call subject.
Reports described callers offering supposedly free insulation, government-backed energy assessments and home surveys. Some asked whether recipients owned their property or what type of insulation they had installed.
One person reported:
“Asked if I am the homeowner, after I said yes it asked about what type of insulation my house has”
Several comments also described voices that sounded robotic, scripted or computer-generated, sometimes introducing themselves using names such as Jackie.
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Although the reports cannot confirm whether AI technology was involved, they highlight how unexpected home-energy calls are prompting concerns among UK households.
Banking and home repair calls also feature prominently
Banking and account-security approaches appeared in 95 reports, including warnings about suspicious transactions, unauthorised payments and requests to verify account information.
“Caller claimed to be from ‘The Bank’ about 2 suspicious transactions on my account, I hung up”
Home improvement and housing repair approaches featured in another 69 reports, including unsolicited calls about damp, mould, outstanding housing association repairs and possible compensation.
Meanwhile, 39 comments concerned mobile, broadband or telecoms services, including alleged contract discounts, service problems and disconnection warnings.
Some reports referenced the transition to digital landlines as a reason for unexpected contact.
Silent calls account for more than 16% of reports
Silent calls were described in 267 comments, equivalent to 16.3% of all written reports analysed.
People reported answering calls only to hear silence, with some describing repeated interruptions from different displayed telephone numbers.
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Other emerging trends: WhatsApp job offers
Recruitment-related approaches also appeared in October’s reports. Of 13 comments describing unexpected job or recruitment calls, seven explicitly mentioned WhatsApp, suggesting that moving conversations onto messaging platforms remains a tactic worth monitoring.
October vs September 2026
Source: Phonely Scam Call Monitor, September–October 2026. Figures reflect reporting activity, not confirmed changes in UK scam-call volumes.
Telephone number searches rose by 10.4% in October, reaching 894,159, despite a decline in submitted nuisance-call reports.
The fall in reports should not be interpreted as a confirmed reduction in scam activity. September’s data included an unexplained concentration of Safe-rated reports, which affects the month-on-month comparison.
About the Phonely Scam Call Monitor
Phonely analysed 1,637 approved written comments submitted to NuisanceCalls.org.uk between 1 and 31 October 2026. Call themes were identified from the descriptions provided by reporters rather than their selected categories.
The figures represent public reports of suspicious or nuisance calls, not independently verified fraud incidents or a representative measure of UK call volumes. Some comments describe more than one theme.
For journalists: Phonely’s findings may be quoted with attribution and a link to this article. For further information, interviews or additional statistics, contact Hannah Hood at press@phonely.co.uk or 0800 112 5000.
