O2 flags 50 million suspected scam calls monthly

O2, a mobile network provider, has introduced a new feature to help combat scam calls. Their AI-powered technology, known as "call defence," automatically flags calls that may be fraudulent. Since its launch in November, it has identified over 150 million scam calls. The feature is activated on compatible phones within the O2 network. When a suspect call comes in, the screen displays "suspected scam." Customers can then choose to ignore or block these calls. O2 reports that the number of flagged calls is now reaching up to 50 million each month. The AI technology has significantly decreased how often these flagged calls are answered. They are now picked up 42% less frequently and tend to last 89% shorter than unflagged calls. Additionally, some calls can be automatically blocked by the system. Common scams include impersonations of HMRC and Amazon, as well as offers related to car payments and mobile phone deals. Murray Mackenzie, a fraud prevention director at Virgin Media O2, emphasizes the importance of this tool for customers. The actual number of scam calls across all networks is believed to be much higher. A voice intelligence firm, Hiya, estimates that the average person in the UK receives four nuisance calls per month. This could result in around 200 million unwanted calls overall. O2 has also launched a new service called Brand ID. This feature provides users with information about businesses that are calling them. So far, around 200 companies, including major banks, have signed up. In a broader effort to tackle scams, O2 encourages customers to report suspicious calls and texts. They can do so by texting details to the service number 7726. Through this system, the network can block future scam calls effectively.