Every few seconds, a scammer somewhere in the UK is dialing a new number disguised as your bank, the police, or even the Supreme Court. In 2024, telecom-related fraud accounted for approximately 16–17% of all Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud cases, highlighting an alarming trend. Despite a rise in online scams, the telephone remains a powerful weapon for fraudsters.

The Growing Threat in Numbers

• £571.7 million was stolen through payment fraud in the first half of 2024 alone, with phone-based scams implicated in 16% of these cases, representing 35% of total losses.

• 3.13 million unauthorised fraud incidents occurred in 2024, marking a 14% year-on-year increase. Specifically, fraud via remote channels including phone, mail, and online fraud rose by 22% to reach 2.6 million cases.

• Services enabling caller-ID spoofing, such as spoof, were behind approximately 10 million fraudulent calls in 2021–22, victimising around 200,000 individuals, each losing an average of £10,000.

• SIM-swap fraud cases soared dramatically, from 289 in 2023 to almost 3,000 in 2024, disproportionately affecting the elderly, who lost approximately £5.35 million.

How Do These Scams Operate?

Caller ID Spoofing & Vishing: Fraudsters use advanced technology to imitate trusted numbers banks, law enforcement, or even government agencies to manipulate victims into sharing sensitive information or making fraudulent transfers.

SIM-Swap Attacks: Criminals hijack your mobile number to intercept messages and bypass security measures, gaining access to bank accounts, emails, and social media profiles.

Automated and AI-Enhanced Calls: Artificial intelligence-driven scams employ realistic, personalised voice recordings to pressure individuals into urgent, harmful decisions.

Who’s at Risk?

Older adults remain prime targets, with 75% of attempted phone scams directed at seniors, particularly through SIM-swap fraud. However, younger demographics aren’t immune with around 55% of individuals aged 18–24 reported being targeted by scammers in the past year.

Combating the Crisis

Regulatory bodies and telecom companies are actively working to tackle this epidemic. Ofcom is pushing updates to telephone networks and tightening regulations around caller ID transparency, with significant improvements expected by 2025. Financial institutions are ramping up reimbursement measures, successfully recovering £710 million in attempted fraud during the first half of 2024 alone.

Despite these efforts, phone scams continue to escalate, driven by sophisticated, well-funded international operations. A single Georgian-based operation was recently discovered operating a £27 million scam network targeting UK residents.

Enhanced Protection: A Proactive Approach

While awareness campaigns from organisations like Action Fraud and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provide valuable guidance, prevention remains key. Utilising technology that proactively detects and prevents scam calls is increasingly vital.

Services such as Phonely offer Digital Voice with comprehensive and highly effective protection against phone scams. Phonely’s robust system quietly works in the background, automatically identifying and blocking spoofed numbers, analysing suspicious call patterns, and verifying callers before your phone even rings. Crucially, Phonely is endorsed by trusted bodies including the London Metropolitan Police, Manchester Police, and Trading Standards, affirming its credibility and effectiveness in safeguarding users.

Take Action Today

With phone scams showing no signs of slowing down, it’s crucial to adopt protective solutions. Stay vigilant, keep informed, and consider reliable services that help shield you from harm. By the time your phone rings, it might already be too late.