The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has received more than 3,600 complaints in September about robocalls asking people to add numbers on WhatsApp or offering part-time work. The watchdog suspects millions of people are receiving these scam calls, and Brits have been urged to ignore calls from unknown numbers and to block and report the robocalls.
Investigation into the scam calls
Andy Curry, the ICO’s head of criminal investigations, told the BBC: “We are trying to find who is behind this, why they’re doing it and the impact it’s having on members of the public.”
He added: “We think there are probably millions of people who are receiving these messages, which appear to us to be largely indiscriminate. I’ve had them; my colleague who’s leading the investigation has had them. It’s likely to be the tip of the iceberg.”
OFCOM guidance on handling the calls
OFCOM has also issued guidance. “These kinds of scam calls are intended to encourage you to call back the number the scammer is using,” they explained.
“When they’ve got people on the phone, criminals try to manipulate or pressure them into giving out sensitive information or making payments to accounts they control. You could also run up a large bill by unknowingly calling a premium-rate number. If you receive one of these calls, hang up, don’t give out any personal details, and report the call to 7726.”
OFCOM’s Will Pinkney said scammers are likely based abroad and are “spoofing” UK numbers to fool innocent Brits.
