By The KTech team · Published 29 October 2026
Your phone rings. The screen shows a number you recognise, perhaps your bank's, perhaps your local police station. The person on the line sounds calm and professional, and tells you there is a problem with your account. Would you hang up?
That is exactly what the callers are counting on. This guide explains how spoofed calls work, the warning signs, and the simple steps that keep you in control. It draws on public advice from Report Fraud, the national reporting service.
Caller ID can be faked
Spoofing is when a criminal uses software to make a call appear to come from a different number. It can be a bank's genuine number, a police force, a government department or a company you use. The number on your screen is not proof of who is calling.
Report Fraud has warned that scam calls of this kind may be run by a real person, be automated, or even use AI. The voice may sound confident and friendly, and the call may come right after a text message that sets the scene.
Report Fraud's recent alert on this subject is covered in our news section: scam callers are faking police phone numbers.
Red flags
- An unexpected call about your money, your account, a parcel or an investigation.
- Pressure to act quickly, or a claim that your money is in danger right now.
- A request to move your money to a 'safe account'. Real banks never ask this.
- A request for your PIN, full password or a one-time code sent to your phone.
- A request to install software or give someone remote access to your computer or phone.
- A suggestion that you should not tell anyone, or not tell the bank branch staff, what is going on.
- A caller who tells you to ring back on a number they give you, or who asks you to hold on while they 'transfer' you.
What genuine banks and police will never ask
Report Fraud's advice is clear. Genuine service providers, banks and the police will never call and ask you to transfer money, share personal financial details, or hand over remote control of your computer.
A real bank may phone you, and may ask a few security questions. But it will not ask you to move money to another account, and it will understand if you want to check who it is. Likewise, the police will not ask for your bank details or tell you to withdraw cash.
What to do if you get a call like this
Stop the conversation. You can end the call without apology. It is not rude, and a genuine caller will understand.
Wait a few minutes. Criminals sometimes keep the line open on a landline, so use a different phone if you can, or wait until you hear a proper dial tone. Then call back on a number you already trust: the one on the back of your bank card, a recent statement or an official website.
For your bank, you can dial 159, which connects you to many UK banks. For the police, the non-emergency number is 101. In an emergency, call 999.
Do not share one-time passcodes, even with someone who says they are from the bank. A code that arrives by text is for you alone.
Report it
If you receive a suspicious call, report it by texting the word Call, followed by the caller's number, to 7726. It helps providers block numbers. If you have lost money or been hacked, report it to Report Fraud, and contact your bank straight away.
If you have let someone onto your computer or phone, or shared passwords, please get help quickly. Our hacked help page explains how we can support you.
Looking out for others
Scammers often target older relatives and people who live alone, but they catch plenty of busy, capable adults too. Tell friends and family about the 'hang up and call back' rule. Put the number for your bank by the phone.
You can read more about what we see around here on our cyber threats in the South Hams page. If you are in Totnes, Salcombe or the villages around, and you want a quiet word about keeping your accounts safe, we are happy to help. We support IT security in Kingsbridge and the wider area.
Texts and emails that set the scene
Many phone scams do not start with the call. A text arrives saying there has been suspicious activity on your account, or an email warns of a payment you did not make. When the phone then rings, you are already worried, and the caller appears to be the person who can fix it.
Treat that sequence as a warning in itself. If you get a worrying message, do not use any number or link inside it. Go to your bank's app or website yourself, or ring the number on your card. If there really is a problem, they will tell you.
Be just as careful with calls that claim to be from your broadband provider, a tech company or the tax office. The same rule applies: you can end the call and ring back on an official number. A genuine caller will be happy to wait.
If you have already shared details, do not feel embarrassed. These calls are designed by professionals to be convincing, and acting quickly matters far more than how it happened.