People who think they are being scammed have been told to hang up and use a three-digit code to protect themselves. If you are the subject of a suspicious phone call, Stop Scams UK says you should dial 159 immediately.
Statistics suggest that around £9.4 billion was stolen in scams last year. Roughly one in five Brits is targeted each year, with an average of £878.60 being stolen per successful scam. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Stop Scams UK says there are three steps you should follow if you have received a phone call which you think may be a scam: stop, hang up, and call 159.
New Data Highlights Scale of Scam Problem
New figures show that younger adults and even children are being targeted by scams. Statistics indicate that 16% of UK parents with children aged 7–17 say at least one has been the victim of a scam. The total amount stolen in scams last year reached approximately £9.4 billion, according to reports.
What is 159?
Launched in 2021, dialing 159 is the result of work from both Stop Scams UK and Global Cyber Alliance. According to Stop Scams UK, criminal gangs stole over £470 million from individuals and small businesses in 2021 by pretending to be a bank or other service provider, encouraging consumers to falsely make a payment or transfer money.
In a message posted to their Instagram page, Stop Scams UK said: "The three-digit number that could stop you from being scammed - 159 is a number everyone should know." Explaining how it works, the message continued: "159 was set up by Stop Scams UK to give a quick way to check if a suspect text message or call could be fraudulent. Once you've called 159, you'll usually be asked to select what bank you're a customer of and then be transferred to its fraud team who will confirm whether the call or message was legitimate or not."
Expert Warning: Be Aware of Number Spoofing
Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, commented on the new phone line, saying: "Stop, hang up and call 159 is not enough. You can still be number-spoofed with the line being open. The obvious thing that many people will do is to stop, hang up and call 159 back. But I'm afraid even that does not guarantee you safety, because sophisticated scammers can spoof a dialling tone so you think you're calling your bank – but the scammer provides a ringtone and an answer. To be totally safe, dial 159 on another phone, or you could call a friend's phone first and if they answer 'Hello Barclays' you know there's a problem. Alternatively, you could wait half an hour and try 159 on the same phone. But you all have to be aware that these scammers are dedicated, talented and will stop at nothing to get your money – stay alert."
