How to spot phone scams: fake calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages

Scam messages and calls are designed to hurry you. They work by making you act before you think. A few warning signs, and one rule, protect you from most of them.

The one rule

Never share a one-time code, PIN, password or card details with anyone who contacts you. A real bank, operator or shop does not need them from you.

Common tricks

1. “Your account will be blocked.” A call or message claims there is a problem and asks you to act now.
2. A prize or reward you never entered for, which asks for a fee or personal details first.
3. A “wrong transfer.” Someone says they sent money by mistake and asks you to send it back. Check your own account through the official app first.
4. A friend or relative in trouble, writing from a new number and asking for money.
5. A link to “verify” or “update.” The page looks real but is fake.
6. A fake seller or delivery message asking for an advance payment or a fee.

Warning signs

• Pressure and urgency.
• A request for codes, PINs or passwords.
• A link you did not expect.
• A number or sender you don’t recognise, or spelling mistakes.
• An offer that is too good to be true.

What to do instead

• Stop and don’t reply.
• Hang up and call back using the number on your card, your bill or the official app, not the number that contacted you.
• Don’t tap links in unexpected messages. Open the official app or type the address yourself.
• Check with the person on a number you already know before sending money.
• Ask someone you trust if you are unsure.

Protect your accounts

• Turn on two-step verification where available.
• Use a different password for important accounts.
• Keep apps and the phone updated.
• Install apps only from the official store.

If you have already replied or paid

1. Contact your bank or wallet provider immediately, using the official number, and explain what happened.
2. Change the passwords you may have shared and sign out of other devices.
3. Keep screenshots of the messages and payments.
4. Report it through the official channels for your bank or operator.
5. Tell family or friends if their names may have been used.

Buying a phone online carries similar risks: see how to buy a phone online safely.