O2 warns Britons about rising phone scams

O2 has alerted mobile phone users in the UK about a rise in common phone scams. The network provider's new AI-driven service has detected over 50 million potentially fraudulent calls each month since it started in November. Murray Mackenzie, a director at Virgin Media O2, emphasized the importance of being cautious. The company aims to help customers identify scam calls and stay safe from fraud. They have also blocked over 168 million scam texts in the past two years. The five common types of scams include: 1. **HMRC Scams**: Calls that threaten legal action for unpaid taxes. 2. **Amazon Impersonation**: Scammers pretending to be from Amazon, often claiming problems with orders. 3. **Payment Issues**: Scammers posing as VISA or Mastercard, claiming fraudulent charges to obtain credit card information. 4. **Immigration Claims**: Calls from fake immigration officials warning of visa issues. 5. **Mobile Deals**: Scammers offering fake discounts on contracts or devices. O2 asks people to report suspicious calls to 7726. This helps the company block scam numbers more effectively. The new Call Defence feature alerts customers about potential scams, leading to a significant decrease in answered calls. Alex Algard from Hiya praised O2's efforts in protecting customers. The partnership aims to enhance security and restore trust in phone communications.