Individuals who suspect they are being scammed have been advised to hang up and use a three-digit number to safeguard themselves. If you receive a suspicious phone call, Stop Scams UK recommends dialling 159 straight away.
The Scale of Scams in the UK
Figures indicate that approximately £9.4 billion was taken through scams last year. Around one in five Britons is targeted annually, with an average of £878.60 being stolen per successful scam. However, there are measures you can take to protect yourself.
Three Steps to Follow
Stop Scams UK advises there are three steps you should follow if you have received a phone call you believe may be a scam:
- Stop
- Hang up
- Call 159
In a post shared on their Instagram page, Stop Scams UK stated: "The three-digit number that could stop you from being scammed - 159 is a number everyone should know." Detailing how it operates, the post added: "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 have called 159, you will usually be asked to select what bank you are a customer of and then be transferred to its fraud team who will confirm whether the call or message was legitimate or not."
What is 159?
Introduced in 2021, dialling 159 is the outcome of a collaboration between 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 impersonating a bank or other service provider, tricking consumers into falsely making a payment or transferring money.
Responding to the new phone line, Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, commented: "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 am afraid even that does not guarantee you safety, because sophisticated scammers can spoof a dialling tone so you think you are calling your bank – but the scammer provides a ringtone and an answer."
He added: "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 is 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."
