How to Stop Spam Calls and Texts on Your Phone in the UK

If your phone rings from an unknown number every day, you are not imagining it. Spam calls and scam texts have become a daily nuisance in the UK, from silent calls that hang up after a second to texts pretending to be your bank, a delivery company or HMRC. The good news is that your phone already has most of the tools you need to fight back, and the UK has free reporting services that actually use your reports.

Step 1: Turn on silence for unknown callers

On iPhone, go to Settings, then Phone, and turn on “Silence Unknown Callers”. Calls from numbers that are not in your contacts, recent calls or Siri suggestions will go straight to voicemail, and you will still see them in your recent calls list. Genuine callers can leave a message.

On Android, open the Phone app, tap the three dots, then Settings, then “Block numbers” or “Spam and Call Screen” depending on your phone. Turn on blocking for unknown numbers and, if your phone offers it, spam protection. Google’s Pixel phones can screen calls for you, asking the caller to state their reason before your phone even rings.

One warning: if you are expecting a call from a hospital, a delivery driver or a company you have not saved, this setting can hide it. Check your voicemail and missed calls regularly for the first week after turning it on.

Step 2: Block and report numbers as they arrive

Every spam call or text you block helps, and it takes seconds. On both iPhone and Android, you can block a number from the recent calls list or from inside the message thread. On iPhone, tap the number, scroll down and choose “Block this Caller”. On Android, open the call or message, tap the three dots and choose “Block”.

Blocking stops that number, but scammers change numbers constantly, so reporting matters more than blocking alone. In the UK, forward a spam text to 7726, free, and your mobile network will investigate it. For spam calls, report them to the Information Commissioner’s Office through its online nuisance calls form. It only takes a minute, and the reports feed real enforcement action.

Step 3: Never engage with a suspicious message

This is the most important rule of all. Do not reply to a spam text, do not tap its links, and do not call the number back. Even replying “STOP” to a scam text confirms your number is active, which can bring more spam, not less. The “STOP” instruction only works for legitimate marketing messages from companies you actually signed up with.

For calls, the same logic applies. Do not press any number the recorded voice asks you to press, and do not stay on the line arguing. Hang up, block the number, and report it if it looked like a scam.

A useful habit: if a message claims to be from your bank, a delivery firm or HMRC, do not use any link or number in the message. Instead, open the company’s official app or type its website address yourself, or call the number on the back of your bank card. Real companies will never ask you to move money to a “safe account” or share a one-time code.

Step 4: Register with the Telephone Preference Service

The Telephone Preference Service, or TPS, is a free official register that makes it illegal for UK companies to call you with unsolicited sales and marketing calls. Register your mobile and landline numbers at tpsonline.org.uk or by calling 0345 070 0707. It takes up to 28 days to take full effect.

TPS does not stop scammers, who ignore the law by definition, and it does not stop calls from companies you have given permission to contact you. But it does cut down legitimate cold calls, which makes the remaining spam easier to spot.

Step 5: Check what your network offers

UK mobile networks run their own spam filters, and some are better than others. Most networks already filter texts reported to 7726, and several offer free spam call blocking in their apps or account settings. It is worth checking your network’s website or app for a spam or call protection option you may not have switched on.

If you are on a landline, ask your provider about call blocking services. Many offer free anonymous call rejection or a blocklist you can manage online.

Step 6: Tighten up where your number is shared

Spam starts with your number getting into the wrong hands. Avoid entering your mobile number on unfamiliar websites, and when a form insists on one, consider whether you really need that service. Check the privacy settings on social media and marketplace apps, and remove your number from public profiles.

Also, be careful with “free” prize draws and surveys. Many exist mainly to harvest phone numbers for marketing lists, which are then sold on. If you would not give a stranger your number on the street, do not give it to a website you have never heard of.

When to worry, and what to do

Most spam is just annoying. But if you shared personal details, bank information or a code with a caller or through a link, act fast. Contact your bank immediately using the number on your card, change any passwords you may have exposed, and report the fraud to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040. The sooner you report, the better the chance of stopping the money moving.

You can also check whether your number or email has appeared in known data breaches using a free service like Have I Been Pwned. If it has, change the passwords for any affected accounts and turn on two-factor authentication.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 7726 and does it really work?

7726 is a free short code run by UK mobile networks. Forwarding a spam text to it sends the message to your network’s spam team, which investigates and can block the sender. It is one of the most effective things an individual can do, because networks act on patterns across many reports.

Will silencing unknown callers block important calls?

It can hide calls from numbers you have not saved, such as a hospital or delivery driver. Those calls still go to voicemail and appear in your recent calls list, so check both regularly. If you are expecting an important call from an unknown number, temporarily turn the setting off.

I already registered with TPS but still get spam calls. Why?

TPS only covers legitimate UK companies making marketing calls. Scammers ignore it, and so do overseas callers outside UK law. TPS still helps by removing the legal cold calls, which makes the illegal ones stand out. For scammers, blocking, reporting to 7726 and never engaging are your best tools.