O2 has issued an urgent warning to all its mobile customers after a fake text message was discovered that falsely suggests a SIM card is about to expire. The UK network is urging users to be on high alert and watch out for this worrying new scam.
The message appears to come from an official O2 number, making it harder to spot. It reads: "O2UK: IMPORTANT: Your SIM Card(s) will be inactive on 04/06/2026, because you have NOT signed our Terms and Conditions. Logon to sign." A link is included, and those who click are taken to a fake website where their personal data is stolen. Fraudsters can then take over MyO2 accounts and use passwords to hack other accounts.
Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud Prevention at Virgin Media O2, said: "Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, using increasingly believable and urgent requests to target victims alongside convincing fake websites, demonstrating just how clever their tactics can be. At Virgin Media O2, we’re doing all we can to help Brits swerve the scammers, from blocking scam texts and malicious websites to rolling out enhanced fraud monitoring on online accounts. Every report to 7726 helps us act faster to shut down scams at source, so we’re urging everyone to play their part and forward suspicious messages."
To help keep users safe, O2 has outlined new advice. The network states it is not contacting customers via text asking them to sign updated Terms and Conditions or face SIM deactivation – messages like this are a scam. Customers should be wary of threatening or urgent language designed to pressure them into acting quickly. Anyone receiving messages from an unrecognised number should be cautious, as genuine O2 messages appear under a verified 'O2' contact on many smartphones.
It is also wise never to click a link in an unexpected message. Instead, customers should go directly to the MyO2 app or call 202 on an O2 device to check if the request is legitimate. If anyone thinks they may have clicked a suspicious link and entered login details, they should change their password immediately.
