Which? highlights five phone scams currently circulating in the UK

Which? published an article on 16 July 2025 describing five types of scam call it says are currently circulating in the UK, covering a health adviser scam, a WhatsApp job scam, callers impersonating bank fraud departments, mobile operator scams and loft insulation calls¹.

The consumer body defines these as vishing scams, "otherwise known as phone scams, involve fraudsters calling you and attempting to get your personal details under false guises"¹. It cites an Ofcom survey, with fieldwork carried out from 5 to 7 February 2025, on how often people receive suspicious calls¹.

Source: Ofcom survey cited by Which?¹

On the health adviser scam, Which? reports that a GP practice warned on Facebook about a call that "begins with a fraudster pretending to be a 'senior health adviser' at your GP practice"¹. The caller asks about medical conditions before selling medication at a price, taking health information and card details, and the number used has previously been linked to other scam calls offering joint care products and vitamins¹.

The WhatsApp job scam involves a call that goes to a voice recording about a non-existent job opportunity and asks the recipient to make contact on WhatsApp¹. Which? says "contacting this number will lead to a job scam, which could see you roped into a fraudulent scheme that goes on for weeks or months"¹.

On bank impersonation, Which? reports that "more than one spoofed mobile number is currently calling people impersonating well-known banks", with the caller claiming to be from the fraud department and saying the account has been compromised¹. In the mobile operator scam, fraudsters impersonate large operators to offer fake discounts in exchange for personal and payment information, and may already hold details from an unrelated data breach; some people report the scammer knows when their contract will end and offers savings on an upgrade¹. The loft insulation scam involves a spoofed London landline number, with the caller claiming to be a heating or energy adviser for the local area and asking about the age of loft insulation, home ownership and age¹.

Which? lists steps including registering with the Telephone Preference Service, calling 159 if a caller claims to be from a bank, and reporting scam numbers by texting 7726¹. It adds that scammers may keep a phone line open after hanging up, so a call back should be made from a different phone on a trusted number or after waiting at least 10 to 15 minutes, and that financial information should never be given over the phone¹. Scam calls can be reported to Action Fraud, or to the police on 101 in Scotland¹.

Why it matters for households

The figures suggest suspicious calls are common rather than rare: two thirds of survey respondents had received them on a mobile in the previous three months and six in 10 on a landline¹. The five scams described target information that carries direct financial consequences, including card details in the health adviser scam, account access in the bank and mobile operator scams, and personal and payment information in the fake discount calls¹. The loft insulation calls gather details about a property and its owner, including age and home ownership status¹.

What happens next

No further dates are given. Which? directs people who receive scam calls to report numbers to their provider by text, and anyone who falls victim to contact their bank immediately using the number on the back of their bank card, then report it to Action Fraud, or call the police on 101 in Scotland¹. Its guidance on phishing, vishing and smishing and its wider scams and fraud guide cover how these approaches work, and its comparison of credit card and debit card protection sets out how card payments differ if fraud occurs.