UK Scam Call Trends: September 2026

The September 2026 Phonely Scam Call Monitor analyses 6,111 nuisance and suspicious-call reports submitted to NuisanceCalls.org.uk, revealing an 82% month-on-month rise in reports and more than twice as many different telephone numbers being reported.

Our analysis also found that almost two-thirds of reports displayed a UK geographic 01 or 02 number, while job-offer calls directing people towards WhatsApp emerged as one of the trends to watch.

Thousands of people use NuisanceCalls.org.uk every month to report unwanted and suspicious telephone calls. Many also leave a comment explaining what happened, what the caller claimed and what they were asked to do.

For the Phonely Scam Call Monitor, we analyse those reports and written descriptions to understand the calls currently reaching UK households and how the picture is changing from month to month.

September 2026 at a glance

• 6,111 nuisance and suspicious-call reports analysed
• 82% increase in reports compared with August
• 4,043 different telephone numbers reported
• 113% increase in different numbers compared with August
• 63% of reports displayed a UK geographic 01 or 02 number
• 3,056 telephone numbers blocked by Phonely during September
• 597 reports were explicitly categorised as silent calls

September saw a particularly large increase in the number of different telephone numbers being reported. While overall reports rose by around 82%, the number of individual telephone numbers appearing in reports more than doubled, rising from 1,899 in August to 4,043 in September.

Reports are submitted by members of the public and have not necessarily been independently verified. Themes can overlap and displayed telephone numbers may be spoofed. More information about our methodology can be found below.

Top 5 reported scam and nuisance-call themes – September 2026

1. Energy and insulation calls

Energy and insulation was the most prominent theme identified in our September analysis.

Reports included unsolicited calls about loft insulation and energy efficiency, as well as callers presenting themselves as energy advisers or suggesting that there could be a problem with insulation already installed in the recipient’s home.

Some people also described receiving repeated calls using similar approaches.

An unexpected caller knowing something about your property – or claiming there is a problem with it – doesn’t mean the call is genuine.

If you’re interested in insulation or other energy-efficiency improvements, independently check the organisation and contact a provider using details you’ve found yourself.

2. Mobile phone and telecoms calls

Mobile phone and telecoms-related calls were the second most prominent theme in our analysis.

Reports included unexpected calls about mobile contracts, upgrades and discounts, alongside callers claiming to represent recognised telecommunications providers.

A familiar company name can make an unexpected call sound convincing, but it isn’t proof that the caller genuinely works for that company.

If somebody contacts you unexpectedly about your broadband, mobile or home phone account, don’t provide passwords, security codes or financial information.

End the call and contact your provider independently if you need to check whether an offer or account issue is genuine.

3. Bank and account-security calls

Bank and account-security calls ranked third.

Reports included recorded messages claiming suspicious transactions had taken place, as well as callers presenting themselves as being connected with a bank or financial organisation.

These calls can be particularly effective because they’re designed to create urgency. If somebody believes money is leaving their account, their instinct may be to act immediately.

If you’re unexpectedly told that your bank account has been compromised, end the call and contact your bank independently using a trusted number, such as the number on the back of your bank card.

Never move money to a supposedly “safe” account because an unexpected caller tells you to.

4. Car finance and PCP calls

Car finance and PCP calls ranked fourth in September.

Reports referred to subjects including vehicle finance, PCP agreements, finance refunds and potential compensation.

While there are legitimate processes for investigating motor finance complaints, an unsolicited caller promising compensation should still be treated cautiously.

Don’t provide financial or identity information simply because a caller says you could be entitled to money. Check the organisation independently before taking any further action.

5. Amazon, parcel and delivery calls

Amazon, parcel and delivery-related calls completed September’s Top 5.

Reports included calls about supposed Amazon transactions as well as approaches relating to parcels or deliveries.

These stories can sound plausible because online shopping and home deliveries are so common. But an unexpected call about a purchase shouldn’t be treated as genuine simply because the caller knows the name of a familiar retailer or delivery company.

If you’re told there’s a problem with an order, payment or parcel, end the call and check your account or contact the company independently.

What types of phone numbers were reported in September?

One of the clearest findings from September’s data is how often the calls appeared to come from ordinary-looking UK telephone numbers.

Almost two-thirds – 63.3% – of September reports displayed a UK geographic number beginning 01 or 02.

This included 1,072 reports involving London 020 numbers alone.

UK mobile numbers beginning 07 appeared in 1,657 reports, accounting for another 27.1% of the total.

Types of phone numbers reported – September 2026

Source: Phonely analysis of reports submitted to NuisanceCalls.org.uk in September 2026. Figures represent the number type displayed in each report rather than unique telephone numbers. Percentages may not total exactly 100% due to rounding.

The findings demonstrate why the number displayed on a phone shouldn’t be used on its own to decide whether a call is genuine.

Caller ID can be spoofed, meaning the number displayed on your screen may not be the number the caller is actually calling from.

A call appearing to come from a UK mobile, London number or familiar-looking local area code therefore isn’t proof that the caller is who they claim to be.

Repeat numbers accounted for almost 45% of September reports

September’s 6,111 reports involved 4,043 different telephone numbers.

Within the data, 666 telephone numbers were reported more than once during the month.

Those repeatedly reported numbers accounted for 2,734 reports – around 44.7% of all reports submitted during September.

Multiple reports about the same telephone number do not establish that the number is fraudulent, and displayed numbers can be spoofed.

However, monitoring repeat reports can help identify numbers and calling patterns generating unusually high levels of concern among members of the public.

Almost one in ten reports were categorised as silent calls

Silent calls were another significant feature of September’s data.

597 reports were explicitly categorised as silent calls, representing around 9.8% of all reports received during the month.

A silent call does not necessarily mean somebody is attempting a scam. They can have several causes, including technology used by legitimate call centres.

However, repeated silent or abandoned calls can be concerning, particularly when people are already receiving large volumes of unwanted calls.

Ofcom has also recently highlighted calls from unknown numbers that ring briefly before hanging up as one of the scam-call tactics consumers should be aware of.

More than 350 reports mentioned automated or recorded calls

Another pattern appearing across September’s written reports was the use of automated or recorded voices.

Our analysis identified 354 reports that explicitly referred to calls using terms such as automated, recorded, robotic, robocall or AI.

That represents approximately 5.8% of all September reports.

These descriptions appeared across several different subjects rather than representing one individual type of scam.

This suggests that automation is worth monitoring as a method used to deliver unwanted or suspicious calls, rather than simply as a scam category in its own right.

The figures don’t establish that 354 calls were generated using artificial intelligence. People reporting calls may use terms such as “AI”, “robot” or “automated” to describe a recorded or computer-generated voice without knowing the technology actually being used.

Emerging scam trends we’re watching

Alongside the most commonly reported themes, September’s data also revealed patterns that are worth monitoring.

Part of the purpose of the Phonely Scam Call Monitor is to identify emerging approaches that may not yet account for large numbers of reports.

Several stood out during September.

Job-offer reports rise sharply as WhatsApp pattern grows

Unexpected job and recruitment approaches were one of September’s clearest emerging trends.

56 reports were categorised as job offers in September, up from 17 in August – an increase of 229% and the highest monthly total recorded between January and September 2026.

The link with WhatsApp also became more prominent. 25 reports both mentioned WhatsApp and were categorised as job offers, up from 12 in August. September alone therefore recorded almost as many as the previous eight months combined, when there were 29.

Interestingly, WhatsApp mentions overall did not rise – there were 37 in September compared with 41 in August. Instead, job offers accounted for a much greater part of the WhatsApp-related pattern.

People described receiving unexpected or automated calls offering work before being encouraged to continue the conversation on WhatsApp.

On 2 October, Ofcom issued its own warning about job-offer scam calls, highlighting automated calls in which a recorded voice claims to have a job opportunity.

Our data doesn’t establish what happened after people were directed to WhatsApp, but job scams can involve attempts to obtain personal or financial information or persuade someone to make a payment.

If you receive an unexpected job offer, check the company independently and be particularly cautious if you’re asked to move to WhatsApp, make a payment or provide banking or identity information.

We’ll continue monitoring job and recruitment calls in October to see whether the pattern continues.

Home and property repair calls

Home repairs were another theme worth watching during September, with 155 reports categorised as Home Repairs.

Written reports included references to property repairs, roofing, damp and callers claiming connections with housing organisations or local authorities.

There is some overlap between these calls and the wider energy and insulation category, so they shouldn’t simply be added together.

However, the underlying approach is worth monitoring: an unexpected caller claims there may be something wrong with a person’s home and uses that supposed problem as the reason to continue the conversation.

We’ll track whether these calls increase or change during the coming months.

What changed between August and September?

September’s 6,111 reports represented an 82% increase from August, but the rise in the number of different telephone numbers reported was even greater. The figure more than doubled from 1,899 to 4,043, an increase of 113%.

Phonely also blocked 3,056 numbers during September, 55% more than in August.

Alongside the increase in volume, September’s reports highlighted emerging patterns involving job offers moving onto WhatsApp, home-repair approaches and automated or recorded calls.

More than 100,000 nuisance and suspicious calls reported in 2026

September has also taken the number of nuisance and suspicious-call reports submitted to NuisanceCalls.org.uk during 2026 beyond 100,000.

That gives us a substantial pool of real-world reports showing the types of calls people say they’re receiving across the UK.

Individual reports can contain the telephone number displayed, when the call occurred and, crucially, a description of what happened.

Looking at those descriptions collectively helps identify recurring themes, changes in reporting volumes and newer approaches that might otherwise appear to be isolated incidents.

We’ll continue publishing this analysis through the Phonely Scam Call Monitor each month.

What should you do if you receive a suspicious call?

Whatever story an unexpected caller gives you, one of the simplest protections is to give yourself time to check it.

Don’t allow an unexpected caller to rush you into making a decision.

Never give out passwords, PINs or security codes, and don’t move money because somebody on the phone tells you that your account is at risk.

Be particularly cautious if you’re asked to:

• install software;
• give somebody remote access to a computer;
• make a payment;
• disclose banking or identity information; or
• move a conversation onto another platform such as WhatsApp.

If the caller claims to represent a company, bank or public body, end the call and find its genuine contact details independently.

And if you’re unsure about a call, speak to somebody you trust before doing anything.

How Phonely uses this data to block nuisance calls

The reports submitted to NuisanceCalls.org.uk don’t just help us monitor UK scam-call trends. They can also help inform the nuisance-call protection built into Phonely’s digital landline service.

Numbers identified as nuisance callers are added to our blocking system, helping prevent them from reaching Phonely customers.

During September, 3,056 telephone numbers were blocked by Phonely.

Scam-call protection and the move to Digital Voice

The way UK home phones work is changing as traditional analogue telephone services are replaced by Digital Voice, digital landline and other internet phone services.

These terms can describe services where home phone calls are carried using an internet connection rather than the traditional analogue telephone network. The underlying technology may also be referred to as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).

For households preparing for the landline switch-off, the move isn’t only about how their telephone connects.

It’s also an opportunity to consider what they want from their future home phone service.

For households concerned about nuisance and suspicious calls, that could include automatic call blocking, screening unknown callers and features that make it easier for a trusted family member to help when something doesn’t feel right.

You can find out more in our guide to how Digital Voice and digital landlines work, including what you’ll need when moving from a traditional landline to an internet phone service.

About the Phonely Scam Call Monitor

The Phonely Scam Call Monitor analyses reports submitted to NuisanceCalls.org.uk to identify the nuisance and suspicious calls members of the public say they’re receiving.

Our analysis considers both selected report categories and written descriptions submitted by reporters.

Because reports are submitted by members of the public, they have not necessarily been independently verified. A report does not establish that a caller, company or telephone number is fraudulent.

Themes can overlap, and the telephone number displayed to the recipient may have been spoofed.

For this reason, the Scam Call Monitor is intended to identify reporting patterns and emerging trends, rather than provide a definitive measure of confirmed fraud.

Information for journalists and researchers

Journalists and researchers are welcome to cite statistics from the Phonely Scam Call Monitor with attribution to Phonely and a link to this page.

Additional data, comment on emerging telephone scam trends and further breakdowns of NuisanceCalls.org.uk reports may also be available for media enquiries.

The Phonely Scam Call Monitor will return with October’s analysis next month.

Media enquiries: For additional data, comment or further breakdowns from the Phonely Scam Call Monitor, contact hannah.hood@phonely.co.uk